An Angel in Hell
by AgoodWITCH
Summary: Bella, arrives at MASH 8076, as the new nurse working alongside her fellow dr's & nurses during the Korean War. She catches the eye of Capt. Edward Masen & he sees in her the angel who can make their hell worthwhile. Entry for 2010 Age of Edward Contest
1. An Angel in Hell

**Age of Edward Contest**

**Your pen name: AgoodWITCH**

**Title: An Angel in Hell**

**Type of Edward: MASHward**

**If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this contest visit The Age of Edward 2010 C2 Community.**

The empty hanger in Kimpo was the first place that hadn't rattled horribly for the last 48 hours. Even the hotel in Tokyo shook with the music coming from a neighboring room where some people were on R&R. This was a new world for young Bella Swan, who finished her last shift just in time to be thrown on a plane. From Seattle, she flew to San Francisco, then Honolulu, Tokyo and finally Kimpo, Korea; where she now sat waiting for her ride to MASH 8076, the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital that she was assigned to. As she began to wonder if her ride would ever come, she looked up and smiled as a gangly kid with a helmet outfitted with a red cross under his arm walked in.

"Are you Lieutenant Swan?" The boy asked and Bella laughed.

"That'll take a little getting used to, but yes, I'm Lieutenant Isabella Swan." She took the now offered hand and then he moved to the bags she had sitting next to her.

"Sorry about being late, ma'am, but I had to pick up a few things and I thought it'd be better to do it while I still had someone to watch the jeep. I'm Corporal Eric Yorkie."

They walked out into the sun to see a very tired looking woman leaning against the jeep. "Corporal."

"Ma'am, it's been a pleasure, you have a safe trip." Corporal Yorkie placed Isabella's bags into the back of the jeep and then took the other nurse's out.

As she walked past Isabella, she stopped. "Don't let it eat away at you; they're a good bunch out there. Good luck."

"Thank you, ma'am." Isabella called after her as she waited for the Corporal to come back.

When he arrived, they both climbed in and he started it up, turning off onto the dirt road that led into the countryside. There was a long bit of silence before he started talking. "So, you're from Washington, I hear it's really rainy there."

"How do you know where I'm from?" Bella turned to him.

"I'm the company clerk; I saw it on your personnel file when you were assigned to us. I didn't mean to be nosy, I was just trying to make small talk, it's a long drive."

"No, I'm sorry. I'm just a little on edge. I've only been a nurse for a year so I'm nervous."

"No problem, if you weren't nervous then I'd be worried. Even if you'd been doing this for 20 years, no one can anticipate what we see. I didn't and I just handle the office, I'm a farm boy myself."

Isabella sighed and looked back at the scenery. "Thanks, what are the doctors like?"

"Oh, they're the tops. Colonel Cullen is a great man, he's our commander. Then you have Major Whitlock, and Captains Masen and King. He's the one you have to be careful around; he's short with the nurses sometimes. But you didn't hear that from me."

She smiled at the inside information as they continued down the winding road. After what seemed like forever, the sound of artillery could be heard more and more often as they neared the camp, now wearing their helmets.

Suddenly, the shells started hitting too close for comfort as Corporal Yorkie swerved to miss a crater in the road. "Lieutenant, see those two large boxes behind you?" Isabella turned and answered him. "Good, I want you to grab the ropes and as soon as I stop this jeep you grab them and run to the ditch on the other side of the road. I'll be right behind you."

Without giving her a chance to respond, he drove it off on the opposite side of the road and Isabella took off running with her two boxes, nearly breaking her heels on the rocky road before landing in the ditch with herself and her cargo intact. A moment later, Eric was next to her with her two bags as well as the remaining three smaller boxes. After a few moments they heard the loud explosion and then silence. Looking up, the jeep they had been traveling in was destroyed.

Standing up, Eric helped her gather her things along with the boxes as they continued on foot. "We're lucky; it's only three miles to camp."

"Three miles!" She groaned as they started off on foot.

After twenty minutes of walking down the broken road, the sound of a jeep sent them off the side of the road until it came to a stop. "Are you a doctor?"

"I'm a nurse." Isabella instantly answered.

"My friend is hurt bad, you gotta help me."

Isabella looked at the man in the passenger seat before turning to Eric. "Get him in the back and you can take us to the MASH, the doctors should be able to do something more for him."

The two men moved the injured soldier into the back as she threw her bags on the front seat and loaded the five boxes of medical supplies into the back before jumping in and checking the wounds before applying pressure to the thin fabric they'd been able to find to dress the wound in the field. The jeep took off with a lurch and sped down the road until pulling to a stop in front of a long building. As soon as she looked up there were orderlies taking the patient from her as the men and women of the unit scrambled to get to their posts as the announcement of more wounded soldiers impending arrival sounded.

Collecting herself, a middle-aged man with blonde hair and a warm smile offered her his hand as she climbed down from the back of the jeep. "Am I to assume that you're my new nurse?"

"Yes sir, I'm Lieutenant Swan." Bella nodded as he looked over his shoulder. "Brandon, take Swan to your tent and let her change her shoes and then bring her to the scrub room."

"Sir?" Isabella asked nervously.

"You started the job on that patient, its only right for you to see it through; you'll be assigned to Captain King's table when you get in there."

Isabella nodded and followed the black haired sprite that already had her bags in her hands. Following Nurse Brandon across the compound, they ducked into one of the nurses' tents and she sat down her bags on one of the cots. "This is your bunk. Put on your boots and leave the helmet and coat here and then go through the double doors at the end of the building facing us and the scrub room is right through there."

"Thank you." She nodded as she threw off her coat and kicked off her heels, digging out her combat boots and lacing them up over a pair of socks before jogging over to the scrub room.

Washing up and slipping on her gown and gloves, she followed an orderly into the operating room where Colonel Cullen motioned to the closest table where the doctor was already working on the patient from the jeep. Stepping up the gurney, she stood next to the other nurse there and began handing instruments to Dr. King as he asked for them.

For the next three hours she continued until she began to feel the travel catch up to her after her long journey, causing her to miss Dr. King's request for a clamp. "For Christ's sake! Can't we get competent nurses in this place? This one is falling asleep at my table!"

"Swan, are you okay?" A tall blonde nurse walked up to Bella and she nodded.

"Yes, ma'am."

"King, quit harassing my nurse, from what Yorkie said in the compound not only has she been flown halfway across the world in the last two days, but their jeep got blown up and she walked for a mile before getting picked up by the buddy of your first patient. Before this session began, you were asleep. Swan, Brandon, re-glove and switch, Nurse Swan, you'll be assisting Major Whitlock."

"Yes, ma'am." Isabella and Alice Brandon exited and quickly re-gloved, walking back into the OR and their respective tables.

"Don't mind Royce, he has a nasty habit of choking on his silver spoon." Major Whitlock whispered and Isabella smiled under her mask as she found her second wind and resumed her job.

When all was said and done, they'd been in the OR for 7 hours and instead of going to her bunk, Isabella walked arm in arm with Nurse Brandon to the Mess Tent. Once inside, they found the blonde nurse from the OR and Dr.'s Whitlock and, Isabella assumed, Masen.

"I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to introduce myself earlier, but I'm Rosalie Hale, and I'm the Head Nurse of the 8076. And Heckle and Jeckle over there are Captain Masen and Major Whitlock, but you two have already met."

They joined them at a table and the conversation quickly flowed. "So, it sounds like you got some welcome to Korea." Dr. Masen smiled crookedly as he sipped his coffee.

"Not exactly how I imagined I would arrive, but the patient survived as did the blood the Corporal picked up in Kimpo. Now if I could just get over this exhaustion, I feel like I haven't slept in days."

"Well then, why don't we let you get some rest? Breakfast will come soon enough, whether we want it to or not." The twang of Major Whitlock's accent caught Bella's attention as she smiled and they deposited their coffee cups in the bin and headed off to their respective tents to get some rest before they had to start another day.

The next morning came a little early for Isabella's liking as she woke up to a smiling Alice before she ran off to her morning shift in Post Op. Using the bit of free time that she had at the moment to unpack her items into her footlocker; she was startled by the knock at the door. "Come in."

The door opened to reveal Dr. Masen holding a tray and two cups of coffee. "I hope you don't mind, but I brought you some breakfast before you get called into Colonel Cullen's office. One of the best things to get your biological clock used to the time difference is sleep and eating at the local mealtimes. And although this can hardly be considered food-"

"Thank you." Bella spoke to interrupt his rambling and he smiled as she gestured for him to sit on the end of her bunk opposite where she had stopped digging through her bags. "So, was yesterday a typical day here?"

Shaking his head, Dr. Masen lowered his cup. "No. OR sessions can stretch on for much longer. We've been known to go around the clock several times since we landed here in June."

"You've been here the whole time?"

"Yes, most of us here have been. We've had a few personnel changes, nurses tend to come and go more than doctors, but that's the nature of it."

"The nature of what?" Isabella asked honestly.

"War. Most nurses aren't prepared for what they'll see and end up getting moved to base hospitals or an EVAC hospital."

"Are you expecting me to wash out?" Isabella asked, this time annoyed at his opinion.

"I didn't mean to offend you. I don't know you well enough to be able to guess what you can handle. I know I was thrown by it and I worked at Mercy Hospital in Chicago."

"I'd only just started at Harborview in Seattle; I grew up in a tiny town about three hours away."

"What's it called?" Dr. Masen asked.

"Forks." Bella smiled at the memory of her hometown.

"Well Nurse Swan from Forks, Washington, let's hope you're one of the nurses that sticks with us." He raised his coffee mug in a toast and she met his with her own.

"Call me Bella, Dr. Masen…unless that's too informal for the army?"

Dr. Masen barked a laugh at her worry. "This isn't the regular army here, Bella. We're a bunch of doctors playing dress up as soldiers. And please, call me Edward. Now please, eat some of that God-awful food so that way if we get caught in the OR you aren't passing out on us."

Bella smiled and took a few bites of the food before it got cold and then unpacked a little more as Edward told her about how things worked around the unit. It wasn't until Rosalie arrived to show her the different aspects of her job and the various buildings that made up the compound that they realized they had been talking for nearly two hours.

After the tour, Rosalie and Bella ended up in Dr. Cullen's office where he spoke to her about their stellar record and she spoke of the work she had done with burn victims at Harborview, leaving him quite impressed at what one of the nation's leading centers was coming up with to treat burns, something they saw far too often.

It was during this conversation that the announcement came over the PA system. "Attention all personnel from both shifts, incoming wounded. Helicopters arriving in five minutes and ambulances are in the compound."

The conversation halted as they ran to the compound and they began helping with triage, which was a first for Nurse Swan. Sticking by Dr. Cullen, they made it to one of the burned soldiers and he turned to her. "Scrub up and meet me inside, I may need your knowledge on this boy if he's going to fight off an infection and make it."

Isabella did as she was told as she ran past Edward, who was in charge of triage this time. Walking over to the Colonel's table, they began work on his patient. He had a quick mind and gifted hands, so Isabella simply pointed out the areas that were likely to become septic and helped with the dressings before returning to help him with another patient.

They continued working as the hours ticked by like minutes until the sun set outside the OR's windows and the patients finally stopped arriving. When Bella looked up at the clock in the scrub room, she turned to Edward and narrowed her eyes. "I think you cursed us this morning, we were in there for 13 hours."

His laugh rang out and he nodded. "Well then, let me invite you back to officers' country for a nightcap to make amends." She blanched a little and Edward realized what his offer sounded like to someone unaware of their ritual. "Rosalie and Alice will be there, as will the Major and the Colonel; it's something we do after long OR stretches."

Bella nodded and followed him to the doctors' tent where they were indeed waiting for them to begin the decompression from their long day. "So, how was your first full day with us?"

"It was eye-opening, but I'm sure I'll get the hang of it, Colonel."

Colonel Cullen raised his hand and shook his head at her use of his rank. "Dr. King is the only one of us around here who demands being referred to by his rank even when off-duty. When we're in a social situation, please call me Carlisle. I'm like the father of this dysfunctional family and I prefer to be an open commander, it makes it easier to get the cattle in their pens." He winked at the girls and they laughed. "So, Isabella-"

"Bella." Nurse Swan and Dr. Masen both corrected at the same time.

Carlisle raised an eyebrow at his young surgeon before returning his attention to his interrupted question as the glasses of amber liquid were passed around. "Bella, why don't you tell us a little about yourself, your hometown, that way we can get to know you a little better?"

Bella took a deep breath and shrugged. "There isn't very much I can tell you. I grew up in a tiny town called Forks in Washington State, lived there until I went to nursing school straight from high school. I moved in with two good friends in Seattle while I was in school and then I was able to find a job at Harborview Medical Center and worked there until the day the recruiter showed up and spoke to us."

"Why'd you agree to come here?" Edward looked baffled at someone agreeing to be a part of the war.

"I wasn't going to originally. When I first took the position there was a recruiter there and I almost laughed at it, but we got in a few patients on their way home who needed additional surgery or treatment for burns they'd sustained here and it made me think about the people who were working on them when they came off the battlefield. The biggest factor for me though, was when Rebecca and Rachel's younger brother and his two friends showed up in their uniforms. Our dads were best friends, that's how I got to be so close with the twins, three girls all the same age was a godsend to our fathers and Jake always followed after us with Quil and Embry. They waited until Quil was 18, because he was the youngest of the three, and all enlisted on the same day. There was something about seeing the boys whose skinned knees made me a nurse before I ever thought about it as a career going off to war that made me want to follow them and do some good in the middle of all this death. I know that probably sounds foolish, but…"

"It doesn't sound foolish, it's noble." Rosalie took her hand and squeezed it. "I was expected to be a housewife, but when my fiancé broke off our engagement, I went into nursing. A friend of mine was getting ready to leave with her husband, who was a soldier and that's when I became an army nurse. I spent my time working the veterans' hospital near the base and coming home to spend time with my friend Vera and her family. When the war started they sent me to Camp Campbell for my special training to become a head nurse and then shipped out. That's how I met Sergeant McCarthy, you'll get to know him, he's the head of the motor pool, but he also helps out with patients a lot because of his size. He was from Campbell and we were on the plane together, I was surprised to find out that he was part of our unit, but it was comforting having someone who was from the same base make the whole trip with me. I was the third person to step off the first truck here after the Colonel and Corporal Yorkie. It was pretty intense in the beginning, but I wouldn't trade it for anything."

Alice looked around and then cleared her throat. "I guess I'll go. I grew up in Biloxi, Mississippi and my parents had the horrible sense to name me Mary, but everyone calls me by my middle name, Alice. My parents and I don't really speak much, and I haven't seen my sister in a long time either, but I'm happy with the family I've made here. I've been here since we were first setup and they okayed the nurses to be bussed in."

Alice leaned into Dr. Whitlock who wrapped his arm around her and smiled at Isabella. "Well, if my accent didn't give it away, I'm from the great state of Texas. I had been in the ROTC when I was in school and became an army doctor as soon as I graduated. I was a Major before being shipped here and took on the Chief Surgeon role because the Colonel didn't want to be all powerful. And darlin' please call me Jasper, I may be regular army, but my friends still get to call me by my name."

Carlisle threw a pillow at the comment Jasper made about him and they all laughed as he settled in to go next. "I was the Chief of Surgery in Columbus, Ohio before this ugliness started. I was just about to retire and devote more time to my private practice and my wife, Esme, and our three kids when the draft notice came in the mail, so I resigned and had my partner takeover for my half of the practice until I get home. I've spent two anniversaries away from my Esme, and I'd prefer not to go for a third."

Isabella looked at the Colonel, who was probably old enough to be her own father and smiled. It was at this point that Edward cleared his throat. "Well, I'm from Chicago, was working at Mercy before coming to Hell. I don't know, I'm always horrible at this 'introduce yourself' stuff."

"Well, are you married?" Isabella asked, trying to get something more out of him, but the room erupted into laughter.

"Edward…married, no. He's a terminal bachelor, but he does charm most of the nurses into the storage closet." Rosalie cackled again and Isabella blushed.

"She makes it sound worse than it is. Every nurse I've seen here has known exactly what the situation was before we started and I've never been unfaithful."

Bella looked up and met Edward's eyes before cutting them to the cot in front of her. Taking a swig of her drink, she sat it on the table. "I think I'm actually going to head to bed, I'm tired and I still haven't met some of my tent mates. Alice, are you hanging around?"

Alice nodded, squeezing Jasper's hand and illuminating the bond they've found over the last year here. "I'll walk you back to your tent." Edward was standing before she could protest, so instead, she shrugged and stepped out into the cool night. The walk was silent and it got the better of Edward as they neared her tent. "Just ask."

Isabella looked up and shook her head. "Honestly, it isn't-"

"Four. I've dated four nurses in the last year. But it isn't as bad as it sounds and I haven't been with anyone for the last two months-"

"Edward, you don't owe me an explanation. You're far from home and there are plenty of people our own age here, it's natural that you'd test the waters. I've hung around Jacob and his friends, I've seen it before. I meant what I said about wanting to meet the other nurses. I'll see you at breakfast?"

Edward smiled and nodded. "I'll save you a seat next to Alice."

Opening the door to her tent, Isabella met Angela Webber and Jessica Stanley. After a few minutes she knew that Angela would be her good friend, while Jessica's persistent rambling about Dr. Masen and the time they had dated, exactly how talented he was and her elaborate plan to win him back had Isabella ready to bang her head against the door of the nearest jeep. Thankfully, Angela asked if the gab session could be cut short because she wanted to go see the Chaplin the following morning and needed some shut-eye.

With the lights out, Isabella settled in for a long nights sleep, even if it wasn't what she would receive.

The next six weeks passed quickly for Isabella as the heat of summer in Korea reared its ugly head. Having quickly fallen in with the procedures, it was the social scene that was a little harder to grasp. There were several nurses that seemed less than thrilled to have another person to fight with for Dr. Masen's attention and many of them made that point known to her.

Nurse Tanya, one of the nurses in the 'bitch tent' as Alice referred to it, was very vocal about Isabella's likelihood to be another passing fancy for the BMOC. She and her friend, Nurse Kate had been two of three nurses to come from the main hospital outside Denali, earning the nickname, the Denali sisters. Tanya was the first at the 8076, with Irina joining during a personnel shift. Finally, Kate rotated in when one of the other nurses couldn't stomach the insanity of being that close to the front. It was about 7 months ago that Irina had been out on a walk when she was caught by a sniper and killed. Since then, the camp has had a much tighter perimeter, with the bar down the road from the compound being the furthest anyone could go without signing out a jeep and getting permission from the Colonel.

Isabella's friendships with those whom she chose to socialize with had blossomed nicely and she felt as though she really belonged. The memory of those first few days were flung from her mind by the familiar announcement of incoming wounded. Ditching her tray on her way out of the Mess Tent, she ran to the compound and helped with the vitals for the first few patients before scrubbing in and preparing for Dr. Masen's arrival after he completed triage. The x-rays were on the light board and the patient was just put under as he backed through the door to keep his hands sterile and addressed his table. "Okay, he has a gut full of scrap metal and a few broken ribs from the pileup he was on the bottom of; let's get him off this table as fast as we can."

With that the dance of surgery began. Every instrument that he needed was already in Isabella's hand as she anticipated his every move. The patient was on the table for nearly two hours with several internal injuries caused by the shrapnel that had found him. As they finished up with him and the next patient was wheeled in, they re-gloved and began again. The surgery kept going and as they looked up from yet another patient and saw that it was 9 hours since they had begun. Another wave of patients hit as Dr. Whitlock ran out to begin triage and King was warned that if it continued, he'd be the first sent to sack out for 90 minutes so that he could recover a little. Rosalie tried to get Isabella to take a break, but as long as Edward was elbow deep in a patient, she would be the one assisting him.

The session, which went 21 hours, was finally over and despite the length of time that they had all been up, Edward insisted on going to the Shak, the bar down the road. Nurse Hale had woken up to take over duty in Post Op, as did Dr. King, while Alice and Jasper went back to the doctors' tent to hang out and the Colonel went to his office to do paperwork. With no one else to make sure he made it back safely, Isabella agreed to accompany him.

The bond between her and Edward was still mainly professional, with just the slightest bit of flirting going back and forth. Isabella found them a table as Edward ordered them sake and beer. When it arrived at the table, Edward poured for them both as they toasted the successful OR session. "You were phenomenal in there today. Normally I go through a few nurses during the longer stretches, but you were right there with me."

"I don't like to leave things unfinished and we were working well together, I didn't want to interrupt it." Isabella smiled as she sipped her sake.

"We do make a damn fine team." Edward smirked as he refilled his tiny ceramic glass.

The next three hours were spent going over the patients they had treated as Edward drank far heavier than Isabella had seen in the two months she had now been there. It was a different Edward, and one she was quickly growing not too fond of. As the crowd in the bar began to thin out, Isabella worried about how she would get him back to camp when a now familiar face approached their table. "Hello, Nurse Swan, do you need any help getting sleeping beauty over to his bunk?"

Isabella smiled and nodded at Sergeant McCarthy. "Thank you Emmett, I was just trying to figure out how I was going to manage it."

Without further discussion, Isabella paid the tab as Emmett led a very unstable Edward out of The Shak and down the road to the camp. Once they got to his tent, Isabella turned to Emmett. "I'll take him from here; we don't need Dr. King writing you up for being in an officers' tent."

"Are you sure?" Sergeant McCarthy was a big teddy bear of a man who would always be the big brother that Isabella never had, and she loved his concern for her.

"We'll be fine. I'll see you tomorrow."

Isabella dragged a stumbling and muttering Edward to his bed and was pleased to see that Dr. King was still in Post Op. Pulling back his blanket, Isabella managed to get him in the bed, untying his boots and then pulling up his covers. As she was about to walk away, Edward sat up and held her arm. He used her confusion to his benefit as he yanked her towards him and kissed her.

The kiss was amazing, even looking past the sloppy way his tongue moved against hers; Isabella had never felt so alive. It wasn't a coincidence that she enjoyed being paired with Edward in the schedule and socializing with him and their friends…the fact of the matter was that Isabella had developed a bit of a crush on the handsome doctor. When he collapsed back against the bed, she saw his eyes flutter closed and her stomach clenched at the thought that he may not have known what he was doing.

Walking out and quickly finding her way to the nurses' tent, she changed and went to sleep, trying to push the unsettling feeling out of her stomach.

The following morning came to find Edward with one bad hangover. The only thing that saved Jasper when he shook his comrade was the mug of coffee in his hand. "Rise and shine, lover boy."

"What in the world are you talking about?" Edward moaned as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and took the black gold.

"That kiss you planted on Nurse Swan last night, it's about time you acted on that kindergarten crush you have on her."

"I didn't kiss Bella." Edward sat up and noticed that he had slept in his clothes, something he rarely did.

"You most certainly did! I saw it with my own eyes when she woke me up carrying you in here after midnight. You practically pulled her into bed with you."

Edward paled as he considered the possibility that what his friend was telling him was true. "Oh God. I have to go."

Before Jasper had a chance to ask where he was going, Edward was out the door and running to The Shak, knowing that he hadn't paid his tab from the previous night and hoping for some answers. Before he made it though, he was stopped by Sergeant McCarthy. "Whoa there, is everything okay, Dr. Masen?"

Edward shook his head and began backpedaling. "No, I just forgot to settle my bill last night and I wanted to take care of it before we get hit with any wounded."

"Oh, well it was taken care of; Nurse Swan paid it before the three of us left last night." Edward froze and looked up at the massive man before him.

"You were there last night?"

"Sure was. Nurse Swan asked me to help her get you back. I left you two right outside your tent because she didn't want Dr. King on my case. Why, is something wrong?"

Edward shook his head and tried his best to smile. "No, just wanted to make sure everything was taken care of. Thanks Sergeant."

Unsure of what to do next, Edward headed back to his tent and gathered his things for a shower. Letting the water wash over him, he tried to remember the details from the night, but there was nothing that came to him. Wrapping himself in his robe, he walked back to his tent and got dressed for his shift in Post-Op with Bella.

He made it in just as Dr. King was collecting his things. "Let's go through our rounds, I want to get some sleep."

"Where's Nurse Swan?"

"She already finished rounds and went to the supply room to get a few items." Dr. King rolled his eyes as he explained the various cases that filled the crowded Post-Op. When they were finished, Dr. King left in his usual huff. A few moments later, Isabella returned with bandages and some medications and began to put them in the locked cabinet.

"Good morning, Nurse Swan."

Isabella turned and smiled. "Good morning, Dr. Masen. How are you feeling today?"

"I'm good, but I'd like to talk to you about last night, if you wouldn't mind."

Isabella blushed slightly and then gestured to the desk at the end of the hall. "I'd like that."

Isabella sat in the chair as Edward perched himself on the edge of the desk. He folded his hands in his lap as he looked down into her eyes. "First, I'd like to apologize for how I acted last night, it was unprofessional of me to get that inebriated and leave you to get us both home safely. I assure you that I'm not usually that thoughtless. Also, you should have never been forced to pay for our evening. I asked you to join me and I insist on paying you back for the cost of the bar tab."

"I was glad to be there to help you out last night, and although you don't have to, if you'd like the tab was $4." Edward reached into his pocket and promptly reimbursed Isabella and then stood up. "Was there anything else you wanted to discuss?" Isabella asked with an expectant expression, hoping to hear that the kiss last night wasn't a drunken mistake but as Edward shook his head and returned his attention back to the patients, she got her answer.

It was an intense shift as Edward worried about his drunken mistake's effect on his friendship with Bella, while Bella stewed in the knowledge that to Edward their kiss had either been so average that it was forgettable or so regrettable that he'd rather not discuss it. Regardless of which option was the case, Bella refused to bring it up again until he acknowledged it.

Edward had been warned about a few trouble patients, who had caused problems during the previous shift, but Nurse Stanley hadn't been as thorough when briefing Isabella and as a result she found herself in a struggle with a patient as she went to redress his wounds.

"Relax soldier, I'm just checking you bandages, I'm not going to hurt you." Nurse Swan cooed, but it only agitated the young man further.

"I'm not a soldier! And I wouldn't be in this bed if it weren't for this damn war!" He fought against Isabella as she worried that he'd rip out his stitches and wind up back in the OR.

"Can someone give me a hand over here?" Isabella yelled out in a loud but professional manner as Dr. Masen turned to see her wrestling the man to his cot. He was around the bed of the patient he had been checking on and in the main aisle when Bella was thrown to the ground in a clattering crash. She hissed loudly as the glass on the tray broke and cut her arm. As soon as she hit the ground, Edward yelled out for help as he knelt between her and the patient holding out his hand to her.

She shook her head and motioned towards the patient who was still thrashing in bed. "Secure your patient, I'll be fine."

Colonel Cullen entered with a few orderlies and as they began to restrain the man, Isabella was helped off the floor before Edward could turn back to her. "Let me look at your arm." He pleaded with Isabella, but she followed the Colonel out into x-ray.

"Stay in the ward, the Colonel can stitch me up." The cold edge to her voice startled Edward as he finished with the patient and one of the orderlies began cleaning up the mess that included Nurse Swan's blood, which also stained the knee of Edward's pants.

Nurse Webber came in soon after to take over for Isabella and Edward warned the patients that they better behave.

Meanwhile Isabella was tended to and sent back to her tent where Alice was chatting with Jasper and Rosalie. "Swan, what happened to you?" Rosalie asked in full Head Nurse Mode at the sight of the bandage and her blood splattered clothing.

"Agitated patient in Post-Op, I was trying to check the bandage on the guy in bed 14 and he got combative and threw me into the bedside tray and I cut my arm on the broken glass."

"Where was Dr. Masen when this happened?" Jasper looked at her and she huffed a breath.

"With another patient, not that he would have acknowledged anything today." She muttered a little too loudly as his eyes narrowed.

"That idiot!" The outburst caught all three women off guard, but a silent exchange between him and Nurse Brandon eliminated her confusion. "I'm going to check on the patients and make sure the situation was handled in Post-Op, Rose, you may want to talk to the Colonel and begin the accident report."

"You're right, if you need anything Swan, don't hesitate to come to my tent." She turned to leave before stopping and turning back to Bella. "Who was on duty before you?"

"I relieved Nurse Stanley and Angela took over for me after the Colonel took an x-ray to make sure I hadn't broken anything."

"You rest, no duty for you for a few days. That gash is in a tricky place and we don't need you opening it up again."

"Yes ma'am."

Once the room emptied, Alice sat next to Bella on her bed and waited for her to begin talking. When she didn't start, Alice turned to her. "Okay, so I only know pieces, but what's going on with you and Dr. Masen?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing." The annoyance was evident as she crossed her arm and then whined at the pain the gesture caused.

"Even after the kiss last-" Alice's comment was cut short by the look of abject horror on Isabella's face.

"How did you know about that?"

"You weren't quite as quiet as you may have thought when you brought Edward back last night. You woke up Jasper and he only mentioned it to me because he thought you might need someone to talk to and that it'd be easier to talk to someone who already knew. So what did he say when you saw him in Post-Op?"

"He didn't say anything! He apologized for getting drunk last night and paid me back because I had to pay the tab before we left, but besides that, he didn't say a thing. Maybe he doesn't remember, he was really drunk-"

"He may not remember it, but he knows it happened because Jasper told him this morning."

Isabella heaved a sigh and rubbed her forehead. "Well then I guess the prospect of being with me was that horrible for him?"

Alice turned and shook her head violently. "No! He's an idiot and a fool, but it has nothing to do with you."

A cry escaped her throat as all the new information came together in her mind. He knew, but still didn't say anything, and at that moment Isabella didn't want to think about what that meant. Soon, she had cried herself to sleep and Alice left her alone.

Edward, however, was not as lucky. Jasper quickly found him and proceeded to tear into him in the soft whisper that would hopefully keep this information out of the gossip circulation. "How could you not say anything to her about the kiss, you like her and she likes you."

"It's not that easy. I don't have a lot of options here, Major. I can't promise her anything real here, and she's better than the relationships I've had here in the last year. Those girls didn't mean anything, and Bella deserves more than to be a fling in this hell, and a memory that causes a smile that the future Mrs. Masen will never know the source of."

Jasper bristled at his remark and closed in on him. "Is that what you think of Alice and me?"

Edward paled and quickly corrected his friend. "Of course not, but for you two being together is all that matters. You don't have to be married to be happy and you certainly don't care about other's opinions as long as it doesn't break Regs. But I can't go halfway with her. If I'm with her at all, I'm going to want it all and that would mean either asking her to live in sin until we get home, or having the Chaplin marry us and watch her get sent to some other unit. Then what, hope to get leave at the same time? That's not good enough."

"And what if you both don't make it home? You'd rather live the rest of your life knowing you wasted the little time you had with her? Or you'd want her to have nothing more than a few polite memories of that doctor she knew back then? We're in the middle of a war, tomorrow isn't promised to any of us. I'd love to marry Alice, but I'm not going to chance never knowing her for ideals that don't translate here. What does it matter living in sin when you're in downtown hell? And more importantly, you've taken her completely out of it by not talking to her before you condemned the relationship. Please, talk to her…that is if Alice lets you."

"Why did you say anything to her? You know she's going to speak to Bella about it."

Jasper simply shrugged as he left Edward to think about the information he'd received. He was coming up with every excuse possible not to be with Bella for the simple reason that as soon as they were together he'd never be able to let her go. But was that really wise in their situation? He knew one thing, it was a lot less crazy than fighting the pull he felt towards her and the unease he had not knowing how serious her arm was.

As the Colonel came in to relieve him, he headed to the Mess Tent to grab some grub before going to speak to Isabella and pray she'd hear him out. On the walk over, he stopped at his tent and it was there he met the fury of a certain pixie.

"Captain, you're a moron. I'm warning you right now, you stay away from Lieutenant Swan until you have your issues sorted, because if you ever make her cry again-"

Edward's shoulders curled in on him a bit at that piece of information, causing him to interrupt her rant. "She was crying? I have to see her. I have to apologize."

"For what?" It wasn't a question of whether or not he should, but rather a wish to know what he was sorry for to see if he would be allowed to get the opportunity to speak to her.

"I didn't want to start something with her out of a misguided fear, but I can't not be with her, not anymore. I'd rather die tomorrow knowing I had her tonight than spend tomorrow wishing I'd had tonight."

Alice nodded and motioned to the door. "Rosalie had the Colonel put her in the VIP tent because Stanley was whining about trying to sleep through her crying every time she rolled over and hit her arm."

Edward nodded and exited the tent, making the short walk to the VIP tent before knocking and waiting for Isabella's answer.

"Come in." The sound of her voice through the canvas of the tent tore at him; he knew that her arm was bothering her and that she was attempting to hide it from whoever was checking on her.

Edward opened the door and ducked in quickly, keeping his eyes on the floor in case she needed a minute now that she knew who had come to see her. "Are you decent, or do you need a moment?"

"I'm decent. What are you doing here?" The distance felt like it was miles instead of the mere feet between them and he looked up and saw her arm tucked in her lap, the bandage much larger than he expected.

"I had to see you. Isabella, I've acted so wrong here and all I've done is hurt you, and that's the last thing I ever intended. Can I please see it?"

Bella held out her arm and he crossed to her bed, looking at the gauze wrapped around the stitches, his brow furrowing at the workmanship. "Can you loosen it, I think that's the main reason its bothering me so much."

Edward unwrapped the gauze and saw the difference in the coloring of the skin, proving that it had been bound too tightly. "Who did this for you?" Edward was annoyed at the lack of care taken with her in the middle of an army hospital.

"I did. Jessica was complaining about having to do it and how she was going to wait in line for a shower so I told her to go ahead and I'd finish, but I did it too tight. Then it started bothering me and she asked for the VIP tent so she could sleep and that's when the Colonel told me to sleep here that way everyone got plenty of rest. I hate it though, I feel like some invalid and all I did was cut my arm."

Edward looked at the long gash that curved around her arm, crossing her vein just high enough not to do too much damage and shook his head. "This is more than a simple cut, and Major Hale is right, you shouldn't use it for the next few days. But I am glad for one thing."

"What's that?" Isabella asked with curious eyes.

"It allowed me the chance to speak to you in private." His eyes dropped to her arm as he ran his fingers along her tender flesh. "Last night, when I kissed you, I wasn't using my best faculties, but it doesn't mean that it wasn't a deeper part of me breaking out. I like you Bella, a lot. And I knew that what would come out of a relationship here would be less than you deserved, so I fought it without considering your feelings in the matter. But the truth is, I can't fight it. I want to be with you…I need to be. Please, tell me that my stupidity hasn't cost me a chance with you."

Isabella smiled as her cheeks stained a rosy color. The look on her face when she met his eyes again was enough to reassure him as he leaned in to kiss her properly. This kiss, unlike its predecessor, began tentative as the two tested the waters with the other. It wasn't long before the soft beginning gave way to something far needier as Edward pulled Isabella closer, mindful of her arm.

When they pulled away, Bella was breathing hard and looking down at her hand, but it didn't last long. Edward's forefinger caught her chin and pulled it up so he could look at her. "Bella?"

"I've liked you from the first night in your tent. You tried so hard to prove you were a good guy, but I knew it without the effort. Let's not waste any more time here."

Edward smiled as he kissed Isabella again, briefly this time. "My thoughts exactly." After another few minutes of kissing and gazing into each other's eyes, Edward wrapped Bella's arm a little more loosely and then smiled as she settled into bed. "Thank you, my angel, for answering my prayers."

For the next few days, Edward waited on Bella at every opportunity, annoying her thoroughly. After three days of it, Bella finally brought it up over dinner. "Edward, I can cut my own food."

"Bella, I just want to take care of you. It could have been so much worse. A few inches and it would have sliced your wrist and you'd have bled out."

"That's a little extreme, but I see your point. I just can't wait until they're out so I can return to more than counting the stock room and other non-medical jobs."

Edward rolled his eyes at her and gave her back her tray with her food now cut into manageable pieces. "I wish you hadn't asked for them to give you anything at all."

"We're a medical unit and I'm a nurse who's counting specimen bottles and tongue depressors instead of assisting in surgery. I feel so useless."

Edward kissed her forehead and ran his hand down her back, understanding how she felt. If the Colonel told him that he couldn't operate it would drive him mad. Edward needed to know he was doing everything he could for his patients so he set out to soothe his sweetheart. "I'm sorry. I'll keep an eye on how it's healing and as soon as it's okay, I'll remove your stitches for you."

Bella looked up and smiled, thanking him for his compassion.

The days that followed were much the same and when the time came for Nurse Swan to have her stitches removed so she could return to full duty; it was Dr. Masen who handled it. And as they worked their shift in Post-Op, they did so as a team instead of dividing the room as they had the last time.

Time passed with the monotony that occurs when meatball surgery blurred one day into the next for the fledgling couple. Casualties had been particularly high in the month that followed as the fighting over a few strategic hills had the opposing forces holding the new land for a few days before it went the other way again, bringing with it more wounded soldiers.

It was on one such long stretch in the OR that the patience of all involved got tested. Dr. King was behaving like his usual 'charming' self and was chewing out every nurse that bellied up to his table. When Nurse Swan rotated to his table after helping to move all the mobile patients to other facilities to clear some beds in Post-Op, he started in with her immediately. Dr. Masen was on triage so by the time he walked in to inform them that along with the soldiers, there were also South Korean civilians that were injured when their village was shelled, he caught the end of one of the Captain's rants.

"The problem on this base is that everyone's paired up. People spend more time worrying about who they're meeting after the session that they aren't paying attention during. How about you, Nurse Swan? How many lucky little soldiers have followed you to the supply tent?"

"Doctor, you better watch your mouth." Edward seethed at the implication being made by Dr. King and wanted nothing more than to drag him out back and beat him for it.

"What, you afraid of a little competition? Worried that this little romance might end just as soon as the others, only this time you haven't consummated it?"

Bella froze at his comment, but it was the Colonel who ended it. "King, if you don't shut it, I'll write up the court martial papers myself, now stop it and get back to work."

After another two hours, some of the nurses were needed outside with the Korean patients as they were not as high on the priority list as the soldiers, and Nurse Swan was one of them.

As the time ticked past and more Korean patients died from severe injuries before they could be seen by the doctors, the morale was beginning to plummet outside. Once the last of the GI's were out of the OR the 15 patients left out of the 28 that had arrived from the village began to be taken into surgery.

It took a few more hours, but finally the last of the villagers had left surgery and the staff began to head off to bed. It had been hours since Edward had seen Bella and he knew that they hadn't eaten since the last round of sandwiches had been brought into the OR some hours ago, so he set off to find her and make sure she was okay after King's rude comments. What he found, however, was far from his expectations.

Nurse Swan was still kneeling in the mud, the September wind blowing hard in the darkness. "Nurse Swan?" He asked formally, as they were still surrounded by the hospital staff making their way through the compound. When she didn't answer he walked closer, seeing the sheet lying in front of her as he crouched behind her. "Isabella? Let's go, you don't want to catch a cold out here." She didn't respond to that either, so he tried to pull her up by her waist and she fought him, clinging to the sheet.

"No! I can't leave her. She's all alone."

Edward looked around and saw Private Crowley helping to move the bodies of the patients who hadn't made it. When Crowley noticed the two of them kneeling beside the sheet, he walked over and tried to lift it onto the smaller gurney he was carrying. When Isabella began to fight him, he looked to Edward for assistance.

"Captain, I have to help load all of the deceased South Korean civilians into the bus so they can be buried properly."

Edward held Bella closer to him as he lifted the sheet to see the body of the young Korean girl, probably only 3 or 4 years old. He covered it back up and whispered to her. "Bella, we have to let them take her so she can have a traditional burial. Let the Private take her."

Bella began to weep as Edward nodded and the Private loaded the child on the gurney and carried her away quickly. Lifting her off the ground, he carried her towards his tent when Nurse Hale approached. "What happened?" she asked, the worry evident in her voice and the deep crease in her brow.

"One of the Koreans who died was a young girl." Nurse Hale nodded and pointed to her tent.

"Nurse Brandon was upset by it as well, so I told the Major that if he and Alice wanted to they could use my tent as I'm on duty with Dr. King tonight."

"Thank you, Rosalie." Edward corrected his direction and walked into his tent with Isabella still in his arms. He sat her down on the cot as Jasper walked in.

"I'll be out in a minute; I'm just getting a few things. Try and have a good night." The possible implication of what Jasper said wasn't lost on him, but his main concern was Bella's reaction to all the death she saw that evening. Their unit had a high survival rate, so tonight had been one of the worst nights any of them had seen.

Edward stood in front of Isabella's stoic form and untied the gown from around her and took off anything that was related to the carnage they had witnessed and then took off her boots and wrapped her in his spare blanket. Cradling her to his chest, he shushed her softly as he rubbed her back and rocked her body gently.

It took forever for her tears to subside, but when they did, her first movement in nearly an hour surprised Edward. Her hand moved from where it had been fingering the short hair at the base of his neck up a little higher and she sat up on her knees, kissing him hard.

Edward knew what he wanted, but he had to make sure this wasn't simply a reaction to everything they'd seen and heard in the last 24 hours. "Bella, are you sure?"

Isabella leaned her forehead against his and looked directly into his eyes. "Yes. Edward, I need to be with you…to feel you. I know we've been moving slowly but I don't want to wait anymore. Please, make love me."

Those last four words crumbled any doubt he may have held as his lips crashed to hers. Isabella threw the blanket off and started fumbling with the buttons on his shirt, which stopped the moment he reached behind him and pulled both it and his t-shirt off in one move. Seeing the new expanse of skin, with enough hair to be manly, but not too much gave Bella a little courage as her hands found her own buttons. It was short lived, however, as Edward's hands caught hers. "May I?"

Bella's eyes grew wide as she nodded and allowed Edward's fingers to operate across the front of her shirt, revealing another painful layer of clothing. Ghosting his fingers along the edge, his lips found hers again as he explored the flesh of her stomach. Isabella hummed as his hands moved slowly up her ribcage and hers rubbed and clawed at his muscular chest and shoulders.

The next time their lips parted for air, Bella took a chance and stood up, slipping off her olive green pants, revealing her lean legs to Edward as her shirt fell to cover the curve of her behind. Before she could sit back down, Edward kicked off his boots and socks and dropped his pants, revealing the all too obvious signs of his arousal. Stalking over to her, he pulled her closer, feeling the gasp as a bit of suction against his lips when his hand found her ass.

Isabella's hands found his hair as she pulled him closer causing only enough friction to drive him completely mad. As they backed towards the cot, Edward reached down and pulled back the sheet and blanket that were still tucked in. Sitting back on the bed, Edward reached down for the hem of Isabella's shirt and pulled it up and over her head, letting it fall to the floor as his eyes lingered on her form.

"You're a work of art, my angel." Edward breathed and Bella blushed in the darkness.

"You should talk. My own personal statue of Adonis. They could put a sculpture of you in a museum and there would be a line around the block." Bella looked down and Edward stopped the movement of her face with his hand.

"If there was ever going to be a statue of me, it would be a pair's sculpture, because there's nothing of me that isn't linked to you now."

Bella smiled and reached behind her to unclasp her bra. "Edward, please. I know you want to go slow, but I don't want to get caught by someone or have more casualties come in before we…"

Edward smiled as he sat further down on the bed, allowing Isabella to lie down before he stood up to remove his boxers and grabbed a condom from the cigar box on his shelf. Sheathing himself in the only barrier that would separate himself from Bella in a few moments, he turned to see her awestruck face. Her underwear was discarded as well and Edward found his way to the bed and hovered over Bella as he kissed her breast, pulling her left nipple into his mouth as his left hand massaged the other.

As Bella tugged at Edward's hair, his lips traveled up her neck while his left hand trailed down to her apex, brushing against it as she bucked lightly at the sensation. With a more determined movement, he dipped into her heated flesh and was amazed by how wet she was already. He continued his attentions to prepare her for what could potentially be a painful experience.

When Isabella was mewing under his touch, Edward repositioned himself at her entrance and leaned in to kiss Bella's lips. "I know you said you'd be fine, but if you need me to stop or slow down-"

"I promise to tell you." Bella answered simply and he pushed in, his head falling forward so it was pressed harder to Bella's as he kissed her to keep from saying something too vulgar. With only a few stops and a single sharp intake from Bella, Edward knew what it felt like to find the closest thing to heaven on earth.

Pulling out, he began the ebb and flow as Bella rose to meet his every stroke and then fell back to the thin mattress, a smile spread across her lips. Edward's hands moved to cradle her head as hers ran up and down his lower back, brushing his behind briefly on each pass.

As the tension in her stomach began to build and breaths became shorter, Edward's pace increased and Isabella bit her lip to quiet the moans that were fighting to be heard as she neared her completion. The light slapping of sweat slicked skin echoed through the quiet tent until with one last rise Isabella exploded in a way she never dreamed possible, her ecstasy driving Edward into his own as their movements grew staccato and finally ceased.

Edward tried to keep his weight off of Bella, but her arms pulled him down on top of her so she could feel him there with her in the wake of so much joy. It was several long minutes before another brisk breeze blew through, causing them both to shiver and unfortunately, break apart to partially redress. Once Isabella had her underwear and t-shirt on and her other clothes folded on his footlocker, she climbed back under the blanket with Edward, who held her close to his chest as they spooned on the small cot. "I can't stay long, the last thing we need is for Dr. King to come back and find me here."

Edward reached behind him and took his travel alarm clock off the shelf and set it for 4am, two hours before the night duty would end. "Jasper and Alice will have to return before its light out too, and they'd never leave us in a compromising position. I know I won't get to know the joy of sleeping through the night with you, but how about we pretend for a little while?"

Bella tugged on the arm he had draped around her and held it closer. "I'd love to."

"Goodnight, my love."

"Goodnight, Edward. I love you, too." No other words were spoken between them as they drifted off to sleep. That night, Edward slept more soundly than he ever had before, having finally found his home, in the arms of his angel, as they lie together in hell.


	2. A Christmas Angel

**Thank you so much to everyone who voted for this in the Age of Edward contest…it was 9****th**** overall, which with some of the writers I was up against, was a great showing! Here's the beginning of the continuation of MASHward and Nuresella, so let me know what you think!**

**Thanks as always to Mizzdee, for begging for some time in the Supply Tent with our Dr. Masen, although I'm sure this isn't what she meant and for putting up with my pestering. To my WC ladies for loving the drama llama that is this story and all of you for being excited when you heard I was planning on continuing it!**

**Once again, please check out the contest I'm co-hosting with Rosalynn, the Share Your Inspiration Anon O/S Contest …the dates have been extended and entries are now being accepted thru 1/14/11. Here's the profile page: **http:/www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/u/2580394/

**I've been updating a lot more regularly this fall/winter, and I'm planning on continuing that into the New Year, so thanks for the support and here's a little post-Christmas angst from 1951.**

Chapter 2 – A Christmas Angel

As the October wind began to blow, signaling the beginning of another harsh winter for anyone unfortunate enough to be in Korea. Edward sat in the Mess Hall at one of the benches with two mugs of coffee as Bella approached with the tin of popcorn while the credits rolled.

"What's the movie?" Bella asked before she took a sip of her coffee.

"Some Western, Jasper has to be a pig in shit right now."

"I heard that!" Dr. Whitlock called out, to a round of chuckles from the others staff partaking in the welcome distraction. The movie was years old, which for some brought back memories of times gone by, while the rest were annoyed that they couldn't even get a decent movie.

Edward held the popcorn between them, using it as a ruse as he rubbed Bella's thigh with the back of his hand, talking about nothing in particular as the movie rolled. It was all over soon enough as the announcement of wounded halted the movie and sent everyone scrambling to their positions.

Triage began while Bella and Alice worked to shift the patients already in Post-Op, hoping that some would be vacating their bed with the arrival of the next transport bus. With some of the beds freed, the girls scrubbed up and made their way to the OR.

In the compound were representatives of five countries as UN forces were among the injured. It was a tough call for Colonel Cullen to leave some of the worse off men outside to wait, but taking them ahead of the American boys would land him in hot water, something he couldn't afford to chance with a General on Dr. King's gurney.

In the session, the doctors and nurses worked diligently to get through the large number of patients, hoping to see breakfast in the Mess Tent the following morning. Once the American soldiers were treated, the orderlies brought in the few men from the UN delegation that included a Turk, two Greeks, a Swede, and a Brit.

It was just after 6am when the last patient was settled into his bed, two transport buses having just left the compound, making room for the new patients as the staff found their way to their own tents.

Bella worked her shift in Post-Op with Dr. Cullen while Edward borrowed Corporal Yorkie so that he could plan a little date for later that evening. The movie that barely held their attention would play another ten times before it was sent out for a new one, but neither one of them would see a frame of it if he could help it.

Gathering his provisions, he ran to the supply room and stashed them on one of the back shelves before getting ready to pick Bella up. Unfortunately, for Dr. Masen, Nurse Stanley was the only one in the Nurses' Tent when he knocked on the door. "Dr. Masen, come in."

Edward tentatively entered only to hear the thud of Jessica's body hitting the thin door as she shut it, blocking the only exit with her body. "Nurse Stanley-"

"Edward, I knew you'd come back. It's been a while, but it's okay, I don't mind that you had to date a few duds to realize that I was what you wanted."

Angered by her assumption and simultaneous insult towards Bella, Edward snapped. "Nurse Stanley! I'm here to pick up my girlfriend, Nurse Swan. As she is not here at the moment, I will wait outside. And in the future, I'd prefer if you kept the conversation simply to professional matters."

Just then, the door was wretched open by Bella, who grabbed onto Edward's wrist and pulled him into the compound. "Can we begin this special evening before it has a chance to get worse?"

Edward wrapped his arm around her shoulder and walked towards the end of the camp. "Bad day at work, dear?"

"Gangrenous leg. It's still the thing out here that gets to me the most." Bella sighed as Edward kissed her hair.

"It's the conditions, normally the leg would be salvageable, but when you spend 7 hours lying in muddy water, infection sets in so deep that there's little hope sometimes. Let's hope this conflict is over before you ever have to get used to it. I'm counting the days until I'm home with my family; it feels like a lifetime ago I was in Chicago."

"I'd like to meet your family someday, that is, if you'd like me to?" Bella blushed at her admission so early in their relationship, but Edward merely stopped them and took her face in his hands.

"You'll meet them as soon as we both get off the plane in Chicago. It won't be our first stop though, I'd like to meet your parents first, it is, after all, on the way."

Nurse Swan giggled as Edward picked through the ring of keys he had, finally unlocking the supply room. "After you."

They entered the room, locking it behind them, and Edward led Bella over to the cot that had a box top turned over holding their food like a tray, a bottle of rut-gut that he got from another unit sitting between two glasses.

Meanwhile, most of the camp was either in the Mess watching the movie, or working in the hospital, so that when the shots rang out an hour later, the screams of the camp rang out over the din of the film.

"Shut it down, Newton!" The Colonel whisper-yelled and soon the Mess was shrouded in darkness and silence. "Everyone, get ready."

Looking out at the entrance to the office, the orderlies who had been working now stood by the doors, holding them open. The MP's readied themselves to cover the others as they ran for cover while the sniper reloaded. It took three reloads of his weapon, but the mess tent was now empty and the Colonel was making his assessment. "Now that we have our head count, is there anyone unaccounted for?"

Alice let out a stuttered breath and Carlisle looked at her with sad eyes. "Where are they?" He spoke softly, so as not to alert the room to the fact that some of their comrades hadn't made it from the various tents and out-buildings.

"The Supply Room."

The Colonel sighed as he realized the real danger they were facing. Oddly enough, the Supply Room was a good ways away from the hospital, across the compound and had little cover between the two, making escape all the more dangerous. He nodded and gave the orders to tend to the wounded while the others waited it out in the OR. He had some phone calls to make.

Back in the lovers' hideaway, the bubble of passion had burst with the first shots and now the hysteria of the moment was setting in. "We're going to die; they're going to find us alone in here."

Edward smoothed Bella's hair out as she quietly panicked, tucking his uniform back into his pants and slipping his boots back on. "We're not going to die. You'll make it out of this just fine, now I need you to get dressed and trust me no matter what."

Their eyes met and she did what he said. A few minutes later, Dr. Masen had the room cleaned up, so there was no trace of their date, and was looking for places to hide. There were another few shots fired and the sound of someone coming around the building loudly. Edward had realized that whoever it was had been approaching by the sound of the shots getting louder, so as time ran out, he pulled Bella to the far corner. "Get in here and be as quiet as you can. No matter what you hear."

"Edward, they rape females after they're captured-"

Edward's eyes grew fierce at her comment, silencing her; it was a thought that hadn't left his mind since he realized what was happening. "They won't lay a hand on you. Please don't freak out."

He took the lid off the long wooden box and Bella froze. "A coffin?"

"They won't look in there because no one would willingly get into one. Please, we don't have much time."

Bella realized that every second she delayed was one less that Edward had to find his own hiding place. Closing her into the box where it leaned against the wall, he went to the opposite side of the room and clutched the scalpel he had managed to find, prepared to give Bella whatever chance he could, whatever the personal cost.

When the shots started to take the sniper away from the main hospital and towards the Supply Room, Major Whitlock had a hunch he knew what was happening. Alerting the Colonel and the MP's, they moved quietly towards the place they could best execute the only chance they had to keep harm from coming to Dr. Masen and Nurse Swan.

Sure enough, as they got closer to the last piece of cover between them and the Supply Room they saw the last of the men, clad in dark clothes, enter the door. The scuffle that quickly followed had them barging into the building to see who had been injured.

Entering the dark room, the lights came on to find two men who didn't belong on their base, but were definitely not the enemy. One was soon pinned to the wall as the other lay in a small pool of blood from where Dr. Masen had cut him in the darkness before the man he hadn't expected knocked him out. The MP's collected the two men and began questioning them as to the location of their accomplice.

Meanwhile the Major tended to his friend and Colonel Cullen searched for where Nurse Swan may be hiding. It wasn't until the sound of rattling wood brought his attention to the coffin that sat propped in the corner that he had any luck in his search. Walking over, he removed the lid to find a traumatized Bella inside, trembling and crying silently.

"Nurse Swan?" Upon hearing her name, she flew into his arms and wept. Bella's eyes searched the room falling on Major Whitlock and the form he was crouching over.

"Edward!" She ran to him and collapsed next to him, brushing the hair from his face while looking up at Jasper. "How is he?"

"I want to take an x-ray just to be safe, but it appears to be a bump on the head, I just wish I knew how hard he got hit."

"But the blood?" Bella gestured a few feet away and he quickly shook his head.

"Not his, he clipped one of the black marketers."

"What?" Bella's mind was reeling after the last 15 minutes.

"They most likely staged the sniper attack so they could steal the medicine we have and sell it on the black market. It's getting more and more common. But the MP's will send them off to be court marshaled and we'll get HQ to send some men to search for the sniper." She looked up at the Colonel as Edward started to regain consciousness.

When he caught sight of Jasper, he sat up and then sank back to the floor. "Where's Bella?"

"I'm right here." She spoke and he turned as she went to soothe him. "Don't you ever scare me like that again, next time you get in the coffin with me, no more playing the hero."

"I can't promise that. I'll always put myself between you and danger."

The Colonel and Jasper helped Edward stand and then took him for his very unwanted x-ray, proving that there was nothing more wrong than a slight concussion and a headache.

Edward and Bella worked the evening shift as a way of insuring that he wouldn't fall asleep until he was doing better. He could see the wreck that was his girlfriend and in one of the quiet moments, he pulled her aside. "Bella, do you want to talk about today?"

She nodded and they stepped into x-ray while the other nurse on duty covered for a few minutes. "Baby, you're shaking."

She took a deep breath and sighed it out. "When you put me in that box, I didn't know if I'd ever make it out of it. I'd fought you and it gave you less time to hide which is why you got hurt, and I was so scared that you were dead. I could have never lived with myself if you had died because of me."

"Bella, it was my choice. I couldn't risk you, I had to do it and I will do it time and again. Don't you know how precious you are to me? I'd die without you, so I'd die for you."

Having heard enough, Bella leaned in and kissed him with everything she had. That ordeal brought them even closer. In the coming weeks, they spent most of their free time together.

With Christmas nearing, Bella was feeling a little sad at being away from her family and Edward wanted to do something to make it better. Nurse Brandon was heading down to Seoul for R&R and he took that opportunity to do a little shopping for her. Giving Alice a specific list and more than enough money to cover it, he went back to the daily grind.

It was getting ever closer to the Christmas Ceasefire, which meant that both sides were trying to get as much fighting in as they could. The Chaplin was overwhelmed with confessions, contritions, and unfortunately, last rites as the deluge continued.

Doctors were ordered to sleep in shifts and the nurses were put on similar rotations to keep mistakes at bay. In the middle of this, the mail was stopped as all non-medical or military supplies were halted due to the heavy fighting. There seemed to be no end in sight for the 8076, when good news came in with a certain petite nurse's return.

Nurse Brandon had to be choppered in from Seoul, which took far longer than normal, but she arrived bearing gifts, literally. "I heard there was an office filled with mail that couldn't be delivered until the ceasefire, so with a little persuading, I brought Christmas early!"

The Mess Tent erupted into cheers as Jasper spun her around; the bags she had been carrying were forgotten on the ground. "Now, Corporal Yorkie is sorting through a mountain of mail and you will leave him be, he will be around to deliver it as soon as he's done."

With a quick wink to Edward, which was all the reassurance he needed that his request had been fulfilled, Alice picked up her bags and went to grab a quick shower. Later that evening, a small group of soldiers came in on a bus from the Battalion Aid Station and with it, came more news for Bella.

Triage was moving along when a familiar voice groaned out a "Quit poking at that, will ya?" It was a sound Bella had heard plenty of times, in another time and a very different place.

"Embry Call, you let them take a look at you, or I'll tell your mother about the time you made me swallow a tadpole."

Edward looked up to see a confused, but amused looking Colonel Cullen looking between the two. "Silver Bells? Is that really you?"

"I've got Lieutenant Call from here, Colonel." Bella smiled down at her old friend as she began examining his leg. "Of all the MASH's in Korea, you had to walk into mine?"

"Well, I was carried actually; I got a bullet in my leg."

"Had, it's a through and through. One of the doctors will stitch you up and you'll be out of here in no time."

"Pushing to get me back in the game, some things haven't changed Bells. It's good to see you."

Bella smiled as she made one last assessment and then stood to scrub in. "I'll come visit you in Post-Op and we'll catch up then, I've got to get in there."

Bella left her friend to scrub in and found Edward still at the sink. "You two seemed cozy?"

The look on her face was one of hurt until she saw Edward's brilliant smile. "That's one of Jake's best friends. We were all close enough in age and I was a little bit of a tomboy so I ran with them when we were younger. Remember, I told you, they were part of the reason I signed up to come over here."

"Well, I'm glad it isn't anything serious. If we get out of this belly in a fair amount of time, I'll stitch him up myself; give him a scar to be proud of, unless you think he'd want it to be invisible."

The laughter that erupted from Nurse Swan warmed his heart as she dried her hands. "Oh no, Embry Call is the type that wants a few battle scars to tell the girls back home about."

With that, they entered the OR and were soon elbow deep in their first patient. Four hours later, they had moved to their second and as the gloves were removed for a second time, Embry was wheeled in, his leg already numbed with a local anesthetic as Dr. Masen prepped to stitch up the entry and exit wounds left by the round from an enemy rifle.

When the patients were taken care of, Edward went to get some grub and when Bella didn't join everyone else, he went searching for her. It didn't take him long to find her, as soon as he looked into Post-Op he found her sitting beside Embry's bedside. "So they're really doing okay?"

"Yeah, Jake is a born leader. Hell, I'd be a lot worse if he hadn't been there. I'm sure he'd love to hear from you."

Edward saw the excitement in Bella's expression and wondered what it was they were talking about. "I'd love to write him, but I didn't know your unit, I'll give you a letter to take with you."

It was then that Bella flashed a look towards the door and saw Edward standing there watching them. "So, what's his story?"

Already having motioned him over, Bella rolled her eyes at Embry and began the introductions. "Edward, this is Embry Call, one of my closest friends going up. Embry, this is Dr. Masen, my boyfriend."

Embry shifted his eyes between the two of them and shrugged. "Jake may just get himself shot to check that you're good enough for our Silver Bells."

"You really have to let that nickname go." Bella groaned but Edward laughed.

"I don't know, it suits you."

The internal annoyance at the rebirth of her childhood moniker was enough to send her back to the Nurses' Tent. "Edward's a great man; he's already risked himself for me. It's a lot different than if we had met back home, but I don't want you giving him any problems when I go to get ready for my shift."

They both laughed as Edward reached down to shake Embry's hand. "Embry, it's nice to meet someone from Bella's life back in the states. I'll see you during rounds."

Embry shook his hand with a smirk. "Same here, but remember one thing, Doc. She's got half a unit of little brothers who will go AWOL if you hurt her."

"Embry!" Nurse Swan whisper-yelled at him as Edward took her hand and led them out into the bitter cold.

When they got to the Nurses' Tent, Edward gripped her elbow, halting her movement. "Bella, are you okay?"

Her brow furrowed as she questioned him back. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Having a friend come through here shot up, I just wanted to make sure."

Bella tipped up to kiss his cheek and then nuzzled into his chest. "Trust me; those three gave me plenty of heart attacks through the years, so that was an easy wound to work on. But thank you for wasting a chance to hear my childhood embarrassments from someone who was there to make sure I was okay."

Dr. Masen placed a kiss on her hair, "You'll always come first."

Letting her go so that she could prep for her shift, Edward went in search of a pixie-haired nurse who would have a bounty for him.

The following morning, he walked into the Mess Tent to see Bella pouring over a letter from home. "Love?"

Nurse Swan swatted at the tears and folded up the letter. "It's nothing, just some bad news from home. I had a few packages that I was looking through last night during my shift, but didn't get to the letters until just now."

"Is there anything I can do? I know I can't do anything for your family in Washington, but what happened?"

"It was the day after Thanksgiving, but between the normal delay and the mail hold-up, I only just got the news. Jake, the friend who serves with Embry, whose twin sisters I lived with until I enlisted, their parents were in a car accident. There had been a bad storm on Thanksgiving and the roads iced over. Jake's mother was killed and his father was crippled. Sara, Jake's mom sent me a Christmas package that I opened last night, it's just…she's gone. Jake had to have been telegrammed about this, I just can't even begin to imagine what it's like to be over here fighting when you'd rather be home helping your family."

Edward put his arm around Bella and hugged her to his side. "I'm sorry, baby. It's tough around the holidays and to be so out of touch…Jake could apply for a hardship discharge from the Red Cross."

Bella shook her head as she re-pocketed the letter. "He'd never do it. His father will tell him that he's proud of what he's doing over here and his sisters have jobs that will help support their father. He lives on the Reservation that borders Forks, so he doesn't have as many expenses as in town and people will help him since he was their police chief."

Edward turned to her, "I thought your father was the chief?"

"In Forks, the Reservation has its own police force. That's why they were so close, they worked together to keep the town safe together, went fishing together, they were like mirror images of each other. I have to write a letter for Embry to take to Jake and one for Quil too, and then work on the ones for home. Embry should make it back to the unit just after Christmas, right?"

"About that."

"Good, it'll be nice to have him here for the next three or four days." Bella looked at the three letters still sitting on the table, one from the twins, one from her mother, and the last from her father, dated after the one she had just finished. "Edward, I can't read these, but I really have to know. Could you read them to me?"

"Sure, Jasper's officer of the day and King's in Post Op this morning, so how about we go back to my tent and read them in privacy?"

"Sounds good."

The two went into the Officers' Tent and Edward spent the next hour reading the letters. The two letters tucked into a single envelope from her best friends were the toughest to get through, Bella crying through much of it, but in the end, the most recent letter from her father had her far more worried. He was upset that he hadn't heard from her since his letter about the Blacks almost a month ago, and his mind, like his daughter's went to the worst-case scenario.

Gathering some paper, Bella began writing her letter to Quil, still trying to figure out what to say to Jake and the girls. While she was working on that, Edward went into the Corporal to ask about the mail situation before coming back with a small slip of paper for Bella. "Write your father a telegram, Corporal Yorkie said they were running now, so you can get news to your father that you're fine so he doesn't spend Christmas thinking the worst."

Bella kissed Edward before scribbling her message and letting Edward take it to have it sent before he returned. He sat beside her, penning his own letter to his parents, telling them about the amazing woman he'd found and the depth of his feelings. She penned her two letters for her friends on the battlefield and then continued on to write her parents a long letter and finally two letters for her best friends, who were in the middle of a very different hell at the moment. She sealed the last envelope and curled up with Edward, napping until the thin door slapped against its frame.

"For Christ's sake, Masen, keep your trysts out of my tent!"

Edward was not the type to react well to loud noises right after he woke up, but those shouted words had him vaulting over Bella's drowsy form, as he got right into Royce King's face. "You listen to me; there was nothing inappropriate going on here; so if you have a problem, you can move out and bunk with the enlisted men's quarters."

"You haven't heard the last of this!"

"Well it's lucky we weren't listening to the first of it." They both turned to see Bella picking up her things and exiting the tent. Satisfied that Bella had sassed the cranky doctor he shared quarters with, he plopped back on the bed and sacked out again.

On Christmas Eve, Bella walked into Post-Op, intent on visiting with Embry and giving him the letters as all of their patients were being shipped out a few days early in case the ceasefire ended early and they needed the space.

What she found was Edward sitting on the chair next to Embry laughing heartily, his eyes closed and his head thrown back, as Embry continued his tale. "I swear to you, I've never seen both chief's that shade of purple since."

"Please tell me you didn't tell that story loud enough for the entire ward to hear?" Bella stood there with her hands on her hips and her toes tapping.

"No ma'am, that was a private telling. How are you doing?"

"Better now, I've got a letter here for Quil and another for Jake-"

"I'll see that they get them. So, are you here for our Christmas tradition?"

Bella looked around at the nearly empty ward, knowing that within a few hours her friend would be boarding the last bus to the EVAC hospital. "I don't know, it's different this year."

"Because it's more appropriate. Come on Silver Bells, sing for us?" Embry tried to pout, while Edward nudged her from his spot on the chair behind her.

"Sing? You have to now. I won't let up until I hear your angel's voice."

Bella rolled her eyes and then took a deep breath, the words coming to her easily as she began to sing.

I'm dreamin' tonight of a place I love  
Even more then I usually do  
And although I know it's a long road back  
I promise you

I'll be home for Christmas  
You can count on me  
Please have snow and mistletoe  
And presents on the tree  
Christmas Eve will find me  
Where the love light gleams  
I'll be home for Christmas  
If only in my dreams

Christmas Eve will find me  
Where the love light gleams  
I'll be home for Christmas  
If only in my dreams  
If only in my dreams

As she finished the song, Edward's arms found their home around her waist and Embry reached forward to take her hand. "Thank you Silver Bells, it feels a little more like home when you sing that."

Edward kissed his angel's temple and then left her to talk with Embry for the little time they had left. When she pushed Embry's wheelchair out to the jeep that was heading back to the front, while the other patients boarded the bus for the EVAC hospital, she smiled at Edward's casual posture next to the car. "You stay safe, Embry. I don't want to see any of you back in my MASH again."

"Sure sure. Dr. Masen, keep an eye on her for us?"

Edward laughed as he helped Embry into the jeep. "No problem. Merry Christmas."

The jeep started up and Edward wrapped his arm around Bella's waist. "So, I have a list of supplies that need to be checked. The Colonel asked me if I'd grab a nurse and check so that he could send in the requisition form for January. I know we didn't have the best of luck in there last time, but would you like to give it a second chance?"

"Dr. Masen, I check supplies in there once a week. I think we'll be fine now that we have the new latch on the door."

Bella knew the requisition was done, because she had helped Rosalie with it two days ago, but she wasn't about to tell Edward that. When she walked into the supply contest, she gasped at the wreath sitting on the bed, a few small packages resting inside the center. "Edward…"

"Merry Christmas, Bella. It's 12:02am, so it's officially our first Christmas together." She turned to look at him, her lip caught in between her teeth.

"I didn't know we were exchanging gifts. I didn't even get you anything."

Edward's hand cupped her cheek. "You're my gift; I wanted to get you a few things that are essential to any nurse living in Korea." Edward led her to the bed and watched as she opened the first package, a few chocolate bars. "Open the next one."

Bella picked up the larger box and laughed at the three pairs of nylons that were inside. "Stockings? Edward, isn't this a little cliché?"

"Do you like chocolate?" Bella nodded and he smiled. "And as I remember, you got a run in one of your stockings last week, leaving you with only one pair left, isn't that right?"

Bella laughed again and kissed his jaw. "I guess it's only right that you replace them, as it was your fault that they snagged."

Edward leaned forward to whisper into her ear, "I'd buy you 100 pair if it meant I got to do that again."

Bella's skin flushed as she motioned to the other two gifts. "And these?"

Edward picked up the larger of the two and handed it to her. "This is just something that everyone gets at some point; they sell them all over Seoul."

"Alice did your shopping?" Bella shot him a teasing look.

"Alice simply picked up the few things I asked her to get me. I gave her the names of the stores and exactly what I wanted to get you-"

Bella placed her hand over his lips and started to laugh again. "Edward, I was teasing you. Let me see this one." Bella opened it to reveal a small doll, the type that was in every souvenir shop in Korea. "I almost got one of these when I first arrived, but I didn't know if it was something people did when they were here."

"The Colonel has a set in his room." Edward smirked this time as he picked up the last box. "Here, this one was the most important."

The paper soon fell to the bed as Bella lifted a small medal, its chain dangling down the back of her hand. "It's a Saint Jude medal."

"Patron Saint of hospital workers, I wanted you to have something to help keep you safe in the upcoming year. I may not always be here to do it."

Bella gasped as she rocked forward and took his face in her hands. "Don't talk like that!"

"I didn't mean it like that, I meant I might get transferred, or shipped home, or you may, I just want you to have something to protect you if we aren't together."

Bella relaxed and held it out to him. "Would you fasten it for me?"

Edward stood behind her and clasped the chain around her neck. Moving to clean up the end of the bed, it was the sound of Bella's shirt hitting the floor that caught his attention. "Bella, not that I mind, but what are you doing?"

She winked and kicked off her shoes as her bra was the next article of clothing to hit the floor. "Giving you your present. We're going to spend the rest of the day around everyone else; I want to spend a few stolen moments with you."

Edward moved forward as he quickly moved to disrobe himself. Soon he and Bella fell to the thin mattress and in the wee hours of their Christmas morning in Korea, they shared the gift of themselves with the other, eager to offer such a treasure.


	3. Baby It's Cold Outside

**I know this chapter is over a year coming, but it just didn't want to be written. I struggled more with this one than any other, so I finally decided to push through and let it go, as I'd done everything I'd hoped to do in it and even through in something I hadn't expected. The next chapter is already written so there won't be a huge wait, and I thank all of you who are still with me.**

**To mizzdee, for sticking with me, and cheering every time MASHward made a WC appearance, even though it was usually accompanied by my screaming, and muttered curses. It seems that when he's cold he gets mad when I ask him to do anything besides cuddle up with his sweetheart.**

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. **

**Chapter 3 – Baby It's Cold Outside**

The New Year brought with it even harsher weather, so much so that the 8076 was having to conserve in already tough conditions. They were short on many supplies as the only steady thing to come into camp was the wounded. Dr. Masen was used to the frigid temperatures from last winter, not to mention his youth in Chicago, but even her Washington upbringing hadn't prepared Bella for the concept of the thermometer only reading 16 degrees. The one thing that these conditions did offer was a chance for Edward and Bella to share a little body heat.

As January turned into February, the already low supplies were made even worse as the supply line was cut by the enemy, thankfully leaving them with enough medicine for the time being, but food, oil and other supplies were impossible to get. Seeing the trouble this would cause, the Colonel called a meeting in his office after a session in the OR to discuss some additional duties.

"Now I know that you don't want to hear this, but conditions are only getting worse and we are going to need to conserve even more if we are going to make it until the supply line is re-opened."

"What does this mean for us?" Rosalie asked.

"Each of you will have an assignment; you will be in charge of the handling of the supplies in your control. So to begin, Major Hale, you'll be in charge of general supplies: bandages, clothing, other essentials. Major Whitlock, you will be looking after the food rationing. Captain King will be in charge of heat and fuel and Captain, you'll be in charge of housing." The colonel looked at the gleam in Dr. Masen's eye and quickly dashed the hopes he saw growing there. "Housing is not co-ed, Doctor."

Dr. Whitlock couldn't help but chuckle at his friend's expense, because he'd been hoping they could double up with their gals. The group disbanded to begin their work, but they were thwarted by the call of more wounded.

Conditions worked to both help and hurt their work as many patients came in with frostbite, a condition that required the use of warm compresses on the affected areas and the continued diligence to make sure the condition improved. As was the case with these temperatures, a few patients came in with hypothermia, and since you needed to be warm to be considered dead, that meant everything from warmed fluids to soaking them in a tub of heated water, all while being careful of the injured area.

The wounded patients offered their surgeons a little relief in the way of their own body heat, for as a patient was opened up, their doctors used the heat coming from their very body to warm their hands before they got to work. Nurse Swan spent this particular shift working with Major Whitlock, which was a relief to her as Captain King was in a foul mood because of the weather.

The staff continued to work as the patients continued to come in, leaving one doctor always out on triage duty. When the wounded finally stopped coming in, the first of the orders that came as a result of the lower supplies and the harsh weather was the disappearance of the heaters from the enlisted men and nurses' tents as they were needed to heat the hospital. This had many of the non-coms fuming, but Dr. Masen's move brought a smile to their faces. Dr. King had expected that the officers would be bunking together and that as heating officer he could approve their use of a heater, but the Captain moved one of the officers into each of the enlisted tents.

They were already doubling up to help with patient overflow, since Evacs were nearly impossible without making the buses or choppers targets while there wasn't fighting going on, but also because the extra people might afford a little more warmth with all the hot blooded boys and girls bunking together.

As the officers packed up their belongings to spend the night in their respective tents, Royce King's rant could be heard all the way across camp.

"This is an outrage! Making the officers move into enlisted quarters. You're doing this to be spiteful, aren't you, Captain."

"No, I'm doing this because the enlisted quarters are larger, so we can fit more people in them and move the few heaters we have left into them so that everyone is comfortable. Believe it or not, King, the world does not begin and end with you." Edward sneered as he took his pillow and shaving bag into the tent that would be his home for the next few nights, at least.

Bella was on duty overnight with Colonel Cullen, so she asked Alice to move her things into their new tent and to make sure she was between her and Major Hale so there was no chance of Nurse Stanley cutting her hair in the middle of the night.

The night proved mostly uneventful, leading Carlisle to order Nurse Swan to find a place to crash nearby so she would be rested if they needed her later. While he and one of the other on-duty nurses checked the vitals of the patients, he noticed something was off with one of Dr. Masen's patients. He hated to wake the sleeping doctor, but when he felt the rigidity of his stomach, he knew that the patient was likely bleeding internally and would need to be re-opened. It wasn't a wake-up call he wanted to make, but the Colonel ran off to arouse the doctor.

"Dr. Masen? Dr. Masen." The Colonel shook Edward's shoulder until he started to stir.

"You're not the person I wanted to see when I opened my eyes, Carlisle," Edward groaned.

"Taylor is showing signs of internal bleeding; I think you may have to go back in there," Carlisle informed him gravely.

"Who will I have to assist?" Edward asked as he slid his boots on.

"Nurse Swan," Carlisle told him with a smile.

"Okay, I'm coming," Edward said as he threw on the rest of his clothes and walked out of the tent, only to take off at a sprint when he was out in the open.

He entered through the office, because it was the closest door to the enlisted tent, and was surprised to see Corporal Yorkie sitting at his desk in the dark, with Bella sleeping in his bed.

"Corporal?" Yorkie turned to see the confused look on Dr. Masen's face, so he spun around in his chair to explain.

"The Colonel told her to catch some shut eye before things got crazy again, so I offered my cot. I've got too much paperwork to catch up on to sleep and it gives me the creeps when you guys sleep on the gurneys in the OR."

"Thank you, I'm sure it is a lot more comfortable than the gurney is." Edward turned to Bella as he gently shook her shoulder. "Bella, you have to wake up. Taylor needs to make another trip to the OR."

Nurse Swan woke up quickly, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes as she walked off to get the supplies ready while Edward saw to the patient. They met in the Scrub Room a dozen or so minutes later, lathered up to their elbows as Edward nudged her.

"I have to say I was shocked to walk into the office and see you in another man's bed," Edward joked, but Bella simply continued on, grabbing a gown and slipping it on before handing one to Edward. They tied each other up and she grabbed her gloves, ignoring his comment. "Bella?"

"We have a long morning ahead of us, so we better get in there," was all she said, so Edward grabbed her gloved hand in his.

"Bella, I was kidding. You know that, right?" he asked.

"Yes, but we really do have a long day ahead. We're going to be working on Taylor and that will only bleed into our morning shifts, so I'd prefer it if we got in there. I was having an amazing dream about my boyfriend before I was pulled out of it to scrub up," she said with a wink.

The pair walked into the operating room and reopened Taylor, determined to find the problem and fix it properly. The dance between doctor and nurse happened without a single misstep, and the patient was returned to Post-Op just as the sun began to rise. Carlisle took one look at the pair and urged them to go find a place to sleep before they were needed again.

Without a care to what might be said, Edward took Isabella to his now empty tent and the pair cuddled up. They caught a few hours' sleep before Captain King came banging in to get some of his things.

"Can you not make so much noise? We were in the OR all night," Edward grumbled.

"I'm sorry if my getting a book is bothering your attempt to turn our tent into a brothel -" Royce's snide remark was cut off by Edward rushing at him.

"You watch your mouth, King," Edward seethed as Isabella moved to his side.

"Ignore him, Edward. He isn't worth it."

"That's rich, the gold digging little -" Isabella's hand came hard across his face as she scowled at him.

"You don't know a thing about me, Royce. I've been supporting myself since I got into Nursing School and I will be damned if you paint me like the cheap women your parents would never approve of you marrying. It must really eat away at you that even with your money and the King name, no one here cares a stitch about you." Royce looked like he was going to respond, so Edward grabbed her and dragged her out of the tent.

"Bella, why do you let him get to you like that?"

"He's insufferable. I'm going to fight with that man every time he opens his mouth and lets those hateful things come out."

"Let's go to the supply room, it's the easiest place to hide because it's empty," Edward joked as he led Nurse Swan into the building. They settled into the back on a box of supplies as Edward asked Bella about her childhood in Washington.

"You've heard most of the stories, Edward. My dad and Billy Black were really close, so I was always playing with Rachel and Rebecca. Jake would trail behind us with his friends … it was really a normal childhood. Why don't you tell me about Chicago? Tell me about your parents."

The Captain sighed, not knowing where to start. "My childhood was a little less than normal. My father is Edward Masen Sr., he's a lawyer in Chicago, and my mother Elizabeth ran the household. I'm their only child so some might say that they spoiled me, but it was no less than any of the other kids I went to school with."

"Where did you go to school?"

"Latin School of Chicago."

"Edward, you didn't tell me your family was that well off." Nurse Swan was a more than a little surprised that he'd kept that kind of information from her.

"That was a long time ago," he explained. "My father wanted me to join his law firm, but I had no desire to study law, I was always interested in medicine. So when I told him that I wasn't going to law school, he cut me off financially. Much to his annoyance, my maternal grandmother financed my education and then left me some money when he passed away. My mother and I still write, but my father and I have barely spoken in some years. I live fifteen minutes from him and never see him."

Isabella, being very close to her parents, couldn't understand his father's actions. "What did he say when you were drafted?"

"That it was what I deserved for going into medicine," Edward admitted.

Bella gasped. "That's horrible. My parents wished they could have helped me pay for my education, but it wasn't possible. That's why I worked at the diner at night to pay for schooling."

"You like living in Seattle, Bella?" Edward asked.

"I do. My job is great and everyone I know is within a few hours of the city. Why are you asking?"

Edward turned to look at her. "Because when we get out of here, I'll move to Seattle to be with you. I'll have to go to Chicago for a while to pack myself up and drive my car north, but I'm sure I can find a job working in one of the hospitals as a surgeon and we can be together near your family."

"Edward." Bella kissed him hard and then pulled back. "Are you sure you'd want to move away from your mother and the job you've had since medical school?"

"There's no real guarantee that I'll have it when I get home, so I may as well start fresh with the woman I love. Especially if I plan on marrying her someday." Edward winked at Bella before he kissed her again.

"You're serious?"

"Bella, if I didn't think they'd separate us for being engaged, I'd propose tonight, but it will have to be a promise until we're safe and on our way home."

"Oh Edward, that's the most romantic thing I've heard in my entire life." She threw her arms around the Captain's neck just as the call for incoming wounded sounded.

The pair jumped to their feet and shuffled off to the Scrub Room where they met the rest of the doctors and nurses. "I thought we weren't supposed to be getting anymore wounded," griped Dr. King.

"I guess the North Koreans missed the memo, Royce," Jasper sniped as he grabbed a pair of gloves and entered the OR.

Isabella was partnered with Dr. Whitlock and Dr. Masen had Nurse Brandon at his table, so it was a peaceful start to the session.

About an hour into surgery, Corporal Yorkie came in a saddled up to the Colonel's table. "Sir, our heating fuel is holding out now that we've lessened the number of tents being used, and we should be able to run the generator until they get the supply line opened. Our real problem is going to be food. With the wounded taking priority, we're going to have to start serving sea rations to our personnel."

"Sea rations? Next we'll be eating army surplus from World War Two," Dr. Masen groaned as he continued to work over his patients.

"Pipe down, Captain," Dr. Cullen hollered. "Corporal, call HQ and see what they are saying about the supply line. We're running out of places for our wounded and soon we'll be out of supplies to treat them with."

"Will do, sir." Eric rushed out before anyone else could yell at him for being the bearer of bad news.

"You heard the Corporal, people, we're going to have to tighten our belts a little more if we're going to make it through this." The room fell silent again as they got back to work, no one too happy about what would be awaiting them in the Mess Tent after surgery was over.

The nineteen patients that came in during this round were seen to by the staff and now rested in Post-Op and in one of the enlisted tents. As the personnel retired to their various tents, many took the time to heat bricks in the stove, putting them in bedpans under their beds to keep them warm.

When they tucked in for bed that night, Bella was against the wall of the tent with Alice right beside her. The girls hadn't gotten a chance to talk in the last day or so, and Isabella had a lot to catch her best friend up on. When the rest of the tent was asleep, the Lieutenant rolled over.

"He said that he's going to move to Seattle when the war's over. Edward's going to transfer to a hospital there and we're going to get married," Bella whispered.

"Can Jasper and I be in the wedding party?" Alice giggled as she clutched Bella's hand.

"I'm so happy, Alice. I didn't doubt that I mattered to Edward, but to have him planning for our future, and to know that he'd give up Chicago and his job to be with me …"

"He really loves you." Alice smiled. "Jasper and I talk about our future all the time. When we get out I'm moving to Texas with him. I can get work at the VA with him. It's nice to know that for all the evil and danger this war is causing that some good can come out of it." The pair fell asleep that night to dreams of civilian lives with their doctor husbands.

The low rumbling of a truck woke the weary people of the 8076 just in time to realize their salvation had arrived. The enlisted men were the first to help unload the truck, its driver heading directly to the Colonel. "They finally pushed the enemy back and re-established control over the roads, so they loaded me up and sent me out right away. We've got food, medical supplies, fuel, clothing and blankets. You'll be able to rest peacefully tonight, and they'll have ambulances on the way in a few hours, so you'll be able to get some of the wounded men out of here as well, Sir."

"Thank you, Sergeant, this is welcome news," Carlisle said as he grabbed Major Hale. "They're sending buses to take the wounded fit to move, grab a few of your nurses and start prioritizing them. Once we have the patients taken care of we can start putting ourselves back together again."

"Yes sir," Rosalie responded before calling, "Swan, Brandon, Stanley, come with me to Post- Op, we need to prep some patients for transport."

The nurses moved to Post-Op while the men unloaded the truck and refilled the supply room. Within a few hours, they had many of the patients being strapped into the three buses that pulled into the compound, removing the excess patients that had been trapped here since the supply line was knocked out.

With the remaining patients back in the hospital, the personnel were able to work on setting the camp to rights. It was dinnertime before the work was done, but as evening fell in Korea, MASH 8076 was back to normal and it even seemed that the thermometer was chancing a move into the twenties.


	4. A Miracle of Eastern Medicine

**Thank you all so much for sticking with this story and coming back to see what happens next.****I know the references to the endless OR sessions may seem a bit repetitive, but imagine being a soldier at one of the five MASH units that was stationed in Korea ... for them, the hell was in that vicious cycle. Tons of love to my beta, mizzdee, for her skills and her MASHward ogling. Thank you to everyone who WC'd this chapter months ago, before I hit the wall on the chapter before it.**

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter 4 - A Miracle of Eastern Medicine

In celebration of the appearance of Spring in Korea, Dr. Masen escorted Nurse Swan on a picnic just outside the camp. It was a beautiful day and both were eager to see the other outside of the heavy parkas they'd been wearing the past few months.

They set up their spot and then Edward pulled Bella to him, kissing her full on. The kisses led to the neglect of their food for the moment, as they got lost in each other. As Edward pulled his shirt off, Bella gasped at the rash she noticed on his collarbone.

"Edward, what's this?"

He followed her gaze and reached out to touch her cheek. "It's a little dermatitis. Nothing to worry about."

Bella pushed on his shoulder so he turned from her as she moved his undershirt so she could see his back. "Edward, your back is covered with it and it's much worse. There are blisters and an angry look to it. I think you should have someone look at it."

"Someone is looking at it," he joked but turned to see that she was really upset by it. "You won't let this go until I have it checked out, will you?"

"There's something about it that doesn't look right. Besides what if it's something that's contagious, you can't operate on your patients like this."

Grumbling, he put his shirt back on and helped Bella put the picnic away before they returned to camp. Within five minutes, Bella stood in Corporal Yorkie's office, pacing the floor. Meanwhile, Colonel Cullen was looking over Edward's back.

"Nurse Swan was right to be concerned, this doesn't look like something that I've ever seen, these blisters are troubling and you seem to have scratched at the rash you have on your chest."

"Well it itches, Colonel."

Dr. Cullen shook his head. "I'm going to place a few calls, but until we can get this under control, I'm moving you into the VIP tent and I'll have someone assigned to you."

"I'll do it, Colonel." Both men turned to see Nurse Swan standing in the doorway.

"Thank you for volunteering even before a duty was fully decided on." Carlisle couldn't help but snicker at the young couple in front of him.

"Quarantine? I don't even feel ill!"

"But we don't know what may come in a few days and I can't afford my entire hospital to become ill from an illness we aren't familiar with. Corporal Yorkie," the Colonel called and the young man appeared.

"Yes, Sir?"

"I need you to send for Major Whitlock and then set up the VIP tent, we're quarantining the Captain and I'd like to get a handle on things before the whole camp learns of it. Discretion is key here."

"Yes, Sir."

Yorkie went out to find the Chief Surgeon and send him to the Colonel's office and then went to the VIP tent to turn it out. The cots were set up and the room set to regulation just as the Captain arrived.

"This is outrageous. Truly, it is too much commotion for a little rash."

"Stop fighting it, or I'll have the MP's cuff you to your cot."

"Nurse Swan, I don't think that's an appropriate thing to say in front of an enlisted man," Edward joked.

Knowing when to take a hint, the Corporal left them to their banter until Nurse Brandon came in with Bella's footlocker. "Thank you, Alice."

"What is that doing here?" Edward's tone was incredulous and all of them heard it.

"Edward, I've been exposed and there isn't anywhere else to quarantine me. I'm not showing symptoms and will be here to keep an eye on your prognosis, but until it is determined whether or not I've contracted this, or am likely to, then our Commander has decided that we should be tentmates."

His head continued to shake as he sat on his mattress. "Bella, this isn't something to play at."

"Oh, so you'll only take it seriously if it's me who stands to be hurt. What about your health? I'm not arguing with you on this matter, so it is best if you just relax." Bella took a breath and calmed her annoyance at her boyfriend's stubbornness. "We'll know more in a few days when your lab results from Dr. Cullen's examination come back and he's calling into some of the other units to see if any of them have encountered anything like this."

"Will you at least wear a mask while you're in here?" Edward's ire had cooled and now he was starting to really worry about it all.

"I will as soon as Jasper drops off the supplies with your footlocker. Now as soon as he's done, I'm going to need you to lie down on your stomach so I can put some salve on your back, maybe it will dry up the blisters." Nodding, they waited for Jasper to arrive with the last of their things.

After he left, Bella put on a mask and gloves, and then helped Edward out of his shirt and then let him lie on his stomach so she could spread the cream on his back. He'd have to lay like that for a while, so Bella made it worth his while and took out her copy of _Wuthering Heights_ to read aloud.

While he appreciated her attention and the sound of her voice, Edward was only able to sit through the first three chapters before he stopped her. "I cannot stand this story! They are such hateful, selfish characters."

"I enjoy the tragic nature of it," Bella offered, but simply put the book down. Sitting up, they began playing cards to pass the time and soon their dinner was arriving.

That was another meal spent in companionable silence, until the sound of the choppers echoed through camp.

"Do you think it will be a bad shift?" Bella turned away from the roof to look at Edward.

"Even if it was, Carlisle's always careful when it comes to this type of thing. We had an outbreak of Hepatitis A last spring, before you arrived; he had half the camp locked up. I could tell when he first saw my back that it was something he was going to fuss over. I'm starting to think he was right."

"What is it?"

"It's itching now, and it wasn't this morning. And my whole back is achy."

Nurse Swan tried her best to hide her concern. "It may just be the medicine doing its work?"

"Or I could be getting worse."

"Don't say that," Bella whisper-shouted at him. "I've been here nearly a year, that isn't enough."

"Enough what?" Edward asked curiously.

"Enough time with you."

Edward sighed and looked into her eyes, hoping to convey his devotion. "I'm not going anywhere, Bella. We're both going to make it home…together."

"Together." Bella yawned and then walked over to grab some gauze. "Let's put these bandages on your back to collect any fluid that drains out and then we can get you into bed. It's late and you need your rest."

"Yes, nurse," Edward mumbled as he let Bella tend to his back. Once he was ready to sleep, Bella pulled the blanket over him and then leaned in to kiss his hair through her mask. Edward hummed at the loving gesture and turned his head to face her as she slipped into her shorts and climbed onto her cot across the room.

"Goodnight, Edward."

"Goodnight, my Bella."

The morning came quickly, but thankfully, there were no further developments. However when Bella went to change the dressing on Edward's back, she didn't like what she saw.

"Edward, these blisters are oozing."

He turned to face her, looking over his shoulder. "What's the color of the discharge?"

"It's yellow, but clear. There's no cloud to it."

"They may just be draining because of the medicine. We'll try another dose later and see if you can notice a difference." Edward shook his head. "You know, there wasn't any indication that I had anything on my back until you saw them. The ache is a new symptom."

"We'll keep a close eye on your symptoms, it'll right itself." Their eyes met and Edward could tell it was more an attempt to reassure herself than him, but he didn't say anything.

Bella straightened up at the knock on the door and answered it, smiling at Corporal Yorkie from behind her mask. "Here's your breakfast, ma'am. And the Colonel wanted you to have this radio so you could get supplies if you needed them."

"Thank you, Eric. Right now, I just need some water and more gauze."

"Coming right up, ma'am."

Bella turned, placing their meals on the desk, not missing the smirk that resided in the Captain's eyes. "I think I better keep an eye on our company clerk. A man with the power to procure anything at will is dangerous competition."

A giggle escaped its protective barrier as Bella shook her head. "You're impossible. Now, let me clean your back with the saline and then we'll let the air at it before we re-dress it."

"Yes, ma'am." Edward winked and then sat so she could clean him up. He paid close attention to the loving way in which she cared for him, her gentle hands working hard not to cause him any unnecessary discomfort.

When his back was taken care of, he sat across from her shirtless, hoping it might do some good. They started to eat, but Bella seemed to be dozing off into her powdered eggs.

"Bella, are you okay?"

"I didn't sleep well." She yawned, her hand moving to cover her mask.

"Why don't you try and sleep now? If I need you, I'll wake you."

"No you won't." Her tone changed as her anger flowed. "You aren't taking any of this seriously. If it weren't for the gloves and masks you'd be treating this like a vacation."

Dr. Masen frowned at his girlfriend, but conceded, knowing he couldn't let her wear herself down because of him. "Baby, please, take a nap. I don't want you to worry yourself sick, especially with this still being a mystery ailment."

Their conversation was interrupted by Corporal Yorkie bringing in the box of gauze and the jug of water. Once he was gone, Bella turned back to Edward with his morning meds, a cocktail of antibiotics to fight off a wide range of causes for the possible infection.

"Promise you'll wake me?"

"I will."

Mollified, Bella unbuttoned her olive green shirt and got into bed, falling asleep quickly. Edward occupied himself with card games and his books for the early part of the morning. He put down his cards though when he heard the first bit of whimpering.

His eyes fell on Bella and he could see her face contorted in pain. Before he made it across the tent, her murmurs developed into words. "No…no, no. Edward, no. Please don't…die. Don't leave me."

Unable to listen to her anguished words, he gently shook her, brown eyes fluttering and then finding his, a look of concern crossing her expression.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, you were having a nightmare." Bella's face colored and she sat up, Edward's hands moving to wipe away the tears that had escaped. "I'm sorry I was making light of this. I couldn't stand the thought of losing you, so I shouldn't have been so dismissive of your worry. Do you forgive me?"

"Yes, thank you for _finally_ understanding why I was being so hard about this."

Looking down at Bella's fear laden face, Dr. Masen pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I love you, Bella."

"I love you too, Edward."

The crackle of the radio caught their attention as Dr. Whitlock spoke. "Edward, Bella, are you there?"

Edward reached for the radio and spoke into it. "We're here, Whitlock, although you could just come to the door. This is more for us to get your attention."

"Do you want to hear what we were told or not?"

Rolling his eyes, Edward continued, "What do you have for us?"

Jasper's voice echoed out of the radio, "The lab rushed your results, but there wasn't much they could tell us. This isn't something we've seen before. It's indigenous to Korea, so they're contacting the South Koreans to see their course of treatment." There was a series of squeaks and some interference before he continued. "We're going to give you some IV antibiotics, because they were able to see the infection in the blood sample, so hopefully that will work quicker than the oral medications we were trying. I'll be over with the medications soon. From what they could tell it's most likely something that is caught from direct contact with blood, so you shouldn't be contagious, but the Colonel doesn't want to chance it."

"It's okay, I've got the best nurse in Korea in here with me, so I'll be fine until you figure this out."

The radio hissed again before going quiet. "They have to be able to diagnose you. This can't be the first time someone's gotten this."

"Yes, but the symptoms are odd, they have to treat whatever caused it and then we can worry about the skin problems and clearing them up. Jasper's like a bulldog with this type of thing, he won't be bested."

Nurse Swan nodded, collecting the supplies she'd need and readying herself for the arrival of the IV's. Edward tried to fight and put in his own IV line, but with a little persuading and a promise for later, he let her do it.

Soon the antibiotics were attached, and Bella was checking his vitals again for Dr. Whitlock. "How are you feeling, Bella? Have you noticed any of Edward's symptoms, or are you still healthy?"

"I'm good, a little tired, but I feel fine."

Jasper collected the supplies they no longer needed and turned towards the door. "Use the radio if you need anything."

Once they were alone again, they let the afternoon pass with no real improvement and Edward could see the worry grow within Bella. They decided not to use the cream on his back again until the blisters began to shrink so it was another day of conversation and Dr. Masen's sock puppets. The latter was at Bella's insistence so he couldn't scratch himself.

Dinner came and went, but instead of staying up to pass the time, Edward decided to go to sleep. Bella helped him get ready and then once he was lying on his stomach, she pulled his blankets up and moved to her own cot, hoping to recoup some of the sleep she'd lost watching him the night before.

But it wasn't meant to be.

Sometime after 1am, Nurse Swan woke up to a stuttering call. "B…Bel…Bella."

Her eyes opened and she immediately saw Edward's body as he shook violently in bed. "Edward, what's wrong?"

She crossed the room and began to check his vitals. "It hurts and I feel so cold. Something's really wrong. This is progressing too fast."

"Shit, you're burning up," she muttered as she put the thermometer under his tongue to get a reading as she fumbled to get the radio. "Hello? Whoever's there, I need help in the VIP tent, STAT! Dr. Masen's condition is worsening."

The crackle began before Corporal Yorkie's voice groggily answered her. "I'm going to wake the Colonel, Lieutenant. He'll be over there as soon as he can."

Bella sat the radio on the floor and rushed to the jug of water, pouring a bit of it in a bowl and dipping some cloth in it. Wiping his brow she whispered to him, "Edward, hold on."

"Bella, I want you to do me a favor," Edward asked her, but before she could respond, the Colonel was walking in, his mask and gloves already in place.

"When did this start?"

"It woke me up a little while ago. It wasn't this bad when I went to sleep."

Edward moved, his foot hitting the end of the cot and he groaned loudly, causing both Bella and Dr. Cullen to look at him. "Let me see your foot."

Dr. Cullen pulled back the sock on his foot and gasped when he saw the infected cut on the side of his foot. "This is it, Bella get me a basin so we can clean the laceration."

Bella worked quickly as they cleaned the infected cut, putting an antibacterial salve on it to aid in its healing. Edward was still shaking, but having woken up, it seemed to lessen the tremor. "His temperature was 101.8. I know that it is the middle of the night, but I'm still worried with the infection growing worse."

"Keep a close eye on it; I'll see what can be done in the morning as far as speeding along the process with the Korean officials."

She nodded and then covered Edward with the sheet, managing to elevate his foot as he lay on his back. Despite the blisters, lying on his back was best at that moment, as it would make breathing easier.

Leaving the young man that had grown like a son to him in the care of the woman who loved him, Carlisle went about waking the others. They needed to know what the best way to proceed was.

Meanwhile, in the VIP tent, Bella continued to change the cool compress on Edward's forehead and take his vitals, praying things didn't get worse. The anguished look in his eyes tore at her, but it was his hand reaching out to her that stilled her movements.

"Will you write a letter to my mother for me?"

"Of course, sweetheart. Let me get some paper."

Bella walked over to the desk and found a few sheets of paper and a pen. Using her clipboard, she settled in next to his cot and motioned for him to begin. He took his time, thinking of what he should say as well as giving Bella the time to write it down.

_Dear Mom,_

_I hope this letter finds you well, and I'm sorry I haven't written home more. Time isn't the same here, one day runs into the next without much ceremony and before you know it months have passed with little to show for it. The only blessing here is Bella. I'm sure that doesn't surprise you, with how much I talk about her when I do write. By some miracle, this beautiful woman feels the same way about me as I do her._

_You may be wondering about the delicate hand in which this letter is written, but there's good reason for it. I asked Nurse Swan to write this letter to you because I am unable to. I've caught some foreign illness, and find myself in the care of the people I normally work beside. It's an interesting thing to be on this side of the situation, but I am proud of the people I serve with even more than I was before._

_We aren't sure at the moment if we will be able to properly treat this illness,__so I wanted to write you this letter now. I know that when I was drafted, I was annoyed at the things it was taking me away from, but that's changed now. I know now that I was meant to come here. I was supposed to work in these deplorable conditions,__performing impossible surgeries in the depths of hell on earth, because it was here that I fell in love with an angel._

_Bella Swan has brought me so much joy in the year I've known her that if I were to die tomorrow; it would not have been in vain. Knowing her has made all of this more bearable and the only regret will be that I didn't have more time to spend with her. If the worst does happen, then I ask that sometime in the future, you look kindly on her. I would like you two to meet; so that the two most important women in my life can help each other learn about the Edward Masen that they didn't see. I want her to help you to know what I was like in my last months, and I want her to know the man who wasn't hardened by war. It had been my hope to bring her home to meet you myself, but I'm not sure how likely that is._

_My only hope is that this reaches you after you have learned of my recovery from this illness, and not as confirmation of the news of my premature departure from this earth. I will try and phone you as soon as my condition improves._

_Your Loving Son,_

_Edward Masen_

The Lieutenant's calm façade crumbled as she sat down her clipboard and moved to sit on the edge of the Captain's bed.

"What happened to my overconfident boyfriend?" she asked, the tears running down her cheeks mirrored the ones in his eyes.

"He's scared that he's out of time."

Bella hiccupped as she removed the compress and re-wet it, using the cloth to wash his face and remove any trace of his tears. "You're not out of time. I'm not giving up and neither can you."

"I'm not giving up, my love. But I have to prepare myself for the possibility." His breath whooshed out of his chest as he reached his sock-clad hand up to her cheek. "I meant what I told my mother. You're worth whatever becomes of me." Another heavy breath escaped him as he continued. "I need you to promise me something. If I die-"

"Don't say that," the strangled whisper interrupted him.

"If the worst happens, I'll always be with you, watching over you so that you survive this war and go home to live a full and happy life. But I want you to promise me that you'll move on. You deserve to be loved and have a house full of kids and if I can't be the one to give it to you…I want you to find someone who will."

"I can't. Edward, please, don't ask me to promise you that. My heart is yours and I won't allow you to give it back now. I will be Mrs. Masen for the rest of my days, whether you are beside me or not."

Edward's brow furrowed. "We aren't married, Bella."

"No, but I can have the Chaplin ready to perform the ceremony in fifteen minutes."

Edward yawned as he settled back into his pillow. "I'll marry you someday, but it won't be from my sickbed."

It was soon after that that Edward fell asleep and Bella began to wring her hands worriedly. A gentle knock had Bella answering the door, happy to see Alice on the other side.

"How's he doing?"

"He's asking me to marry someone else after he dies. I know he's trying to be strong, but he's scared. I've never seen him like this."

Alice squeezed Bella's hand as a whimper brought both sets of eyes to Edward's unconscious form. "Edward Masen is too stubborn to die, and I'm too sure of what you have together to believe it's going to end like this. We'll get our answers today, I know it."

Bella hugged Alice and then gasped, but Alice wasn't worried about catching the mystery illness, she was far more concerned with the cure.

While Nurse Swan turned back to her cot, hoping to get a little sleep, Alice stalked closer to where Sergeant McCarty was working on a few of the jeeps.

"It seems early to be working on these, Emmett?"

Emmett smiled at Alice, thankful it was one of the more sociable nurses. "It seems the only time I can get work on them half of the time, but right now I'm testing the possibility to use one of them to jumpstart the generator, just like you would another car. I've tried revving the engine, but I'm not sure if it's the car or the generator. But I guess that I'll have to wait until after breakfast."

Alice nodded and watched as Sergeant McCarty left the car running, the cables attached to the generator, and went to grab some breakfast. Checking that there was no one around this edge of the camp, Lieutenant Brandon climbed behind the wheel of one of the other jeeps in the motor pool and started the engine without drawing attention to herself. "Sorry to ruin your meal, McCarty, but I have some searching to do."

The light has just starting to come over the hills when McCarty and Whitlock left the Mess Tent to make a terrifying discovery. "Shit! I'm gonna get busted down to Private for this."

The Major tried to calm his buddy down because the more noise he made, the quicker his problem would be discovered. "Sergeant, what's wrong?"

"One of the jeeps is missing. I left this one running to back up the generator, but there were another four here. Now there's only three."

"Think carefully," the Major implored, "who was around when you left for breakfast. Was anyone lurking near the tents?"

"No, nothing like that. Lieutenant Brandon was here, asking why I was working so early, but there wasn't anyone else-"

His sentence hung there as the Major stormed off to the Colonel's office.

~oO~

Bella was still holding her vigil over Edward as the swift knock shook the door. Worried, she ran to open it, finding Major Whitlock on the other side.

"Jasper, what's the matter?" His expression terrified her, she couldn't fathom things getting worse.

"Nurse Brandon isn't on base."

Bella gasped. "She went AWOL?"

"No," he cut her off harshly, "She won't be AWOL until the Colonel calls the MP's. Where did she go, Lieutenant?"

"I don't know. She came by last night and told me that everything would be okay. If I had known what she might have been planning, I would have stopped her."

"No you wouldn't have," he shouted. "If she promised to cure him, you would have let her go. If something happens to her-"

"Whitlock!" They both turned, stunned to see Edward standing behind Bella. "Don't yell at her."

Dr. Masen swayed and then collapsed as soon as the words left him as Bella ran to catch him. She led him to the bed, chastising him once he was safely tucked in. "You have to stay put. I don't need you to defend me against Jasper, he's only worried about Alice. And so am I, going out into the countryside in the early morning. I'll wring her neck when she gets back."

"Bella," Edward paused, like he might continue, but he drifted off.

Bella turned to face her friend from her perch on Edward's cot. "I'm not happy that Alice ran off like she did, but if her actions save him, I won't regret it. He has to make it, Jasper."

Jasper nodded and left the two of them alone. Nurse Swan continued to watch her love's lack of improvement and sent up a silent prayer that he'd live.

The morning moved slowly as the Colonel stayed locked in his office, while Jasper and Emmett kept a look out for Alice and her getaway car. The VIP tent grew more somber by the hour and the whole camp began to worry about the fate of their brother in arms.

As the afternoon progressed, the sound of an engine brought Dr. Cullen out of hiding as he met the lookouts. The jeep came through the entrance to the camp and stopped as Dr. Whitlock grabbed Alice's arm and dragged her out of vehicle. "Mary Alice Brandon, are you out of your mind? What possessed you to go off in the middle of the night?"

"Jasper, I had to do something. And look, I found a shaman. He wants to see Edward, so he can treat him."

Dr. Whitlock looked between the shaman and the Colonel, who nodded, leading the small man towards the VIP tent.

The knock once again startled Nurse Swan, but the door opened before she could truly respond. "Bella, this is Mr. Pak, he's the shaman that Alice found on her little excursion. I'd like for him to look over Edward."

Bella stood and watched as the medicine man crouched over Edward's form. "Jeonyeom?" he asked, looking to them for the first time.

"He's asking about the infection?" Carlisle whispered to Bella as she moved to show him Edward's foot.

The elderly man muttered something before throwing the blanket off of Edward altogether. "Yorihada?" he asked, but as neither knew the word, he tried a different way to ask, "Bul?"

"Bul? Fire?" Bella asked, grabbing the hot plate and showing it to him.

"Ne." the Korean man nodded and then began pulling out the items in his bag as Carlisle headed for the door.

"I'll get you a few pots so you can heat up whatever he needs."

It was in the time alone that the shaman laid out the contents of his bag. Bella grabbed the clipboard and took notes as he separated the various items into different groupings. When they had the necessary cooking utensils, the man began to combine the ingredients, making sure to show Bella just how to combine them.

The first thing they brewed was a liquid that sat on the heat while he crushed some herbs and added it to some lard to create a salve. He mixed a large amount, so hopefully it would not be needed by the time they ran out. The ointment was spread on Edward's open wound and then it was bound with gauze, the man making a gesture to explain that it was meant to draw out the infection at the source.

Next, he sat the steaming brew into some ice to chill it and then held up his finger before running out of the tent. A moment later, he had a metal container filled with what appeared to be the basics for a soup of some sort.

"Guk," the man confirmed before he took the larger pot and began making the soup, adding in the herbs he'd shown Bella before.

As that cooked he went around the room lighting incense as Bella wiped Edward's brow for the thousandth time.

Taking the pot that had been cooling, he tapped his back and Bella moved to sit up a very weak Edward and soon the shaman was painting the liquid on his back. Once they were done, Mr. Pak gestured to Edward's back and held up three fingers.

"Three times a day?" she asked, holding up the same three fingers and shaking the saucer pan.

"Ne." The man nodded and then turned to the soup.

Pouring out a small bit of broth, he handed it and a spoon to Bella. "Meokda." He pointed to Edward and Bella sat beside him the shaman held him steady so she could try to feed him.

"Edward, darling, I need you to drink this." Edward nodded and she slowly spoon fed him the broth.

As they finished, the shaman held up a tin and then shook a kettle that sat on the desk. "Masida."

The next fifteen minutes were spent with the shaman handing Nurse Swan the different incenses, showing where he'd lit them around the room, and repeating the one-word instructions again with his large hand gestures. Finally, he handed her a small, carved crane. He grabbed his bag and turned to leave when Bella called out to him.

"Mr. Pak, what's wrong with him?" The medicine man shrugged and she wracked her brain for the words. "Ireum byeongdeun?"

"Heulg gotong." Mr. Pak bowed and she bowed in response before he left.

She turned to Edward's sleeping form, his back dark from the medicine he was wearing, but for the first time in a while, he seemed to be resting peacefully. Trying to organize everything, the Colonel arrived with a stoic expression.

"How is he?"

"Resting peacefully," she said as she placed a hand on his forehead.

"When was the last time you ate?"

"I can't remember the last meal they brought in before this tent turned into Union Station. I'm not all that hungry."

"You must eat, Lieutenant. I can't have you getting yourself ill from a lack of nutrition. I'll have something brought in for dinner. It's almost that time."

Dr. Cullen left and returned a few minutes later with a tray of unappetizing food. She picked at it before turning back to her patient.

The evening turned to night with Bella following the shaman's instructions to a T. The wear it had on Edward's body seemed to be less and he slept soundly through the night. The day that followed began to show progress in the blisters and the lightening of the rash on Edward's pectoral muscles, but he was still in a bit of a haze, which looked to be a combination of weariness and the fever, which still hadn't broken.

The intensity of the aroma in the tent continued to grow, but Bella would endure it if it meant Edward would be cured. Bella continued to check his vital signs and redress his wounds, giving him a little of the broth while the IV's did their best to hydrate him and treat the infection from the inside out.

Dr. Whitlock and Dr. Cullen were both pleased with the improvement of the skin conditions, but the fever still worried them. While they did a careful examination of Dr. Masen, Major Hale and Nurse Brandon both tried to get Bella to step out for a moment, but she refused.

"You need a proper meal, you've been picking at the meals we've been sending you," Nurse Hale prodded Bella, but she wouldn't budge.

"I'm not hungry. I can't keep anything down with all the worrying I've been doing anyway."

"What about a shower, Bella? No offense, but you're starting to get a little ripe." Alice's joke fell on deaf ears as well.

"You can't smell anything over the incense in here; I'll take care of myself when Edward's awake. I'm not leaving his side."

"Yes, you are. I'm ordering you to take a shower and get something to eat in the Mess Tent." All eyes focused on their commanding officer.

"Don't make me disobey you, Sir, because I can't stay away from him." Bella stood firm, but it was little use against the Colonel.

"I'll order you to take a nap in the Major's tent as well if you don't listen to me." The Colonel crossed his arms and she sighed, turning to Alice.

"You'll sit with him?"

"Promise." Alice gave her arm a reassuring squeeze as Nurse Hale led her towards the shower.

"You get under the hot water and I'll grab your things from the tent, I'll be back in a minute." However, when the Head Nurse returned to the Nurse's shower, she found an unconscious Bella bent over to untie her boots. "Girl's too damn stubborn for her own good."

Rosalie lifted her nurse into her arms and walked her the few feet to the VIP tent. As soon as she kicked the door, it opened to a shocked Nurse Brandon. "What happened?"

"She finally crashed. Make up the other cot and we'll get her set up in here, that way they're at least together when one of them wakes up." Major Hale sat her in the chair and turned to the Colonel as he began to speak.

"Do you think we should just let her sleep, or should we try something a little more extreme?"

"Sedate her and get an IV up. That way she'll wake up recovered. Last thing we need is a deluge while we're short one of our cutters and a top nurse. She'll be as hot as Hades when she wakes up, but she'll be a lot better off."

"I'll get everything set up, would you like a few minutes to give her a bath before we do?" Carlisle knew that she'd be more comfortable if she was freshened up, and Rosalie agreed.

For the next thirty minutes after she was sedated, Alice and Rosalie bathed Bella and washed her hair. Once she was dressed and in bed, she was hooked up to the IV for fluids and Major Hale left Nurse Brandon to watch them both.

Alice followed Bella's handwritten instructions for his medication and the tiny bit of broth she could feed him. The most animated he got was around his feeding times, but it was all the haze muddled ramblings of the fever he still had. Rosalie came in around midnight to give her a break, but soon 8am had Alice back in the VIP tent.

"Any change?" Nurse Brandon asked as Nurse Hale prepared to go to bed.

"She's still out, though she's only lightly sedated, and he's showing some more improvement. Now they both need to open their eyes. I'll be back this evening."

Rosalie left for the comfort of her bed while Alice worked to prepare the medication for his back. She'd just finished it and sat the pot down to cool when she heard it.

"Bel…Bella?"

Alice rushed to Edward's side to see his eyes awake and focused as he looked around. "Edward, oh thank heavens you're all right."

"Alice, where's Bella?" Dr. Masen asked, all formality forgotten.

"Edward, I need you to stay calm-"

His eyes searched the room after her evasive answer, cutting her off as soon as he saw Bella's peaceful form in the cot opposite him. "What happened to her? Did she catch this from me?"

"No. Edward, she's fine. It's just a little exhaustion and dehydration. She's been at your bedside since the day we noticed something was wrong and it took its toll on her, but she should wake up soon and I was about to take out her IV when you woke up. Just, please, lay down."

Edward settled in and then sat up again when he realized something. "Nurse Brandon, what's that smell?"

"It's the incense and the herbs from the shaman," Alice said, giggling that he automatically worried about the odor in the tent after being out of it for days.

"Shaman? What about the antibiotics?"

"It's been five days since the rash was found, around 1am two days ago you woke up with a fever and chills, we tried pushing more antibiotics, but it wasn't seeming to do enough and the creams we tried to use weren't helping your back. I kind of stole a jeep and went AWOL, finding a medicine man in one of the villages nearby and he showed Bella how to care for you. She spent all of the next day using his methods and they were working but Bella wasn't eating and she was only sleeping for twenty minutes at a time." Alice sighed, remembering the fight she put up. "She finally fell asleep and we were able to take over in here. Now, let me get you some of the broth Bella made with the herbs and a cup of tea."

"Thank you, Alice," Edward said as he took the food.

"Don't thank me for this, thank me because I'll leave your sponge bath off until Bella's awake."

Alice removed the IV from Bella and cleaned up the incense burners now that Edward was awake. After his breakfast, Alice cleaned and re-bandaged his foot and then let him use the officers' latrine while she went to get rid of the medical waste.

In the time that the room was vacated, Bella stirred, her eyes finally opening and like her boyfriend, she searched for her other half. "No."

She stumbled over to his bed and sat down, pulling his pillow to her face. A sob broke free as she cursed herself for being too weak to stay conscious for his final hours.

"Bella?" The sound of his voice had her jumping from the bed and running to him, her arms finding his neck as he pulled her to his chest.

"Oh my God," she sobbed, "I saw the empty bed and I thought…"

"I'm fine," he soothed her. "You're remarkable care saved my life. Bella, I could have died if it hadn't been for you."

"I would have never let that happen. I was irate when they tried to keep me from you. I fought the Colonel over a shower."

Edward chucked at the thought. "I heard, and I'm not too pleased with your disregard for your own health when it came to mine."

"Edward, you required round the clock care and I was the only one who would provide it until they found out it wasn't contagious. But still, I wasn't about to leave you."

"I know, and I'm not going anywhere now. But there is something I have to ask you?" Edward mentioned, his lips already turned up into a smirk.

"What?"

"Alice said I need a sponge bath before the medicine the shaman mixed could be put on my back. Think you can help me out?"

Nurse Swan bit her lip and then walked out of the tent, leaving Edward thoroughly disappointed that she'd just walked out like that. He had hoped for a little bit of fun for the both of them. It wasn't until he heard the slam of the thin wooden door against its frame a few minutes later that he turned to see Bella standing there with a basin in her arms. She sat it down on the chair and then returned to the door to take a handful of towels from Alice before she slid the hook into the eyebolt, locking them in the tent.

"You know, I could get mad at you for playing with me as a nurse and a woman to get a little alone time, but I think that a nice cooling off will serve you well."

She poured a small amount of the water into a basin so she could keep the water as clean as possible. He quickly stripped out of his clothing and she pulled over the canvas lounger chair for him to sit in. Her hand dipped the first cloth into the water and then lathered it up.

For the next several minutes, Bella would lather up one part of his body and then with a clean cloth, she'd remove all traces of soap. Edward hummed as she lovingly washed his face, neck, chest and arms, finally moving to the delicate task of bathing his back.

"This looks so much better than it did before," Bella commented as she rinsed off the skin.

"Do I want to know what is in the shaman's medication?" Edward wasn't sure how much information he wanted, but he was truly interested in the method that had saved him when Western Medicine had failed.

"Roots, herbs, berries…nothing too bad." She toweled off his back and then walked around to his front. "Move the towel from your lap; I need to wash your legs."

Edward put the towel onto the cot as Bella went about her business as she'd done with the rest of his body, but with her kneeling before him, and his body on display, it wasn't long before he felt himself reacting to her. It appeared at first that the Lieutenant ignored the salute from the grateful soldier before her, but just as Dr. Masen gave up hope on some help with his situation, her washcloth-clad hand ran over the flesh.

"After the catheter was removed it's good to see that your body's reacting to stimulation." She spoke as her hand stroked him, eliciting a series of moans and grumble from him. His hips bucked softly and a smirk appeared on her face. "Your strength's returning as well, another positive sign."

"How…" his sentence was interrupted by another moan, but then he found a way to force out his question, "How long until anyone returns to check on us."

"You're recovered," she replied absentmindedly, "No one will come back unless there's an emergency, they're in a light OR session right now anyway. A few buses pulled in as I was getting the supplies for your bath."

Seeing what might be his only chance, Edward grabbed Bella's wrists and pulled her up. "I need you, but I'm not sure I'll be able to…"

"Sit back a little," she instructed, her shorts falling to the floor. As soon as she was naked from the waist down, she slid onto Edward's lap and allowed him to guide her to where they both needed her to be.

The tent was filled with quiet adoration and vows of love eternal as they found peace in being together after having come so close to losing each other.

It took a few more days before Dr. Masen was fully recovered, but soon enough he was back on duty and the 8076 was back to business as usual.


	5. Bug Out

**AN: Back with another installment of MASHward. I've already got the beginning of the next chapter started, along with a few other things so I'm trying to keep things moving on these pieces. Hurricane Sandy left us without power or heat for four days here, but we are some of the lucky ones who have already been restored. Check out Fandom Fights Hurricane Sandy on my profile for more information about how you can help my neighbors who are struggling to get by. My contribution is only one way in which I am helping out those who didn't do as well. Hope you enjoy this and love to mizzdee for spending the night with MASHward so that he could come out to play.**

******Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Story is rated M for violence, language, and lemons.**

Chapter 5 – Bug Out

The spring continued to bloom in Korea as the 8076 worked through the never-ending stream of casualties. The push that had been predicted to last a week was now nearing the end of its second and the Colonel was trying to get every soldier ready to move out of camp as the front line inched closer by the day.

The doctors and nurses were on edge, wondering if the rumors of a bug out were true, or just the nervous thoughts of their campmates.

The idea of a bug out worried Bella more than most, her fear of the enemy growing with every foot of ground they gained. The other nurses had experienced an evacuation before, but the relocation of the entire camp had only ever been a drill they'd been ordered to perform as a display of camp readiness early in the war.

Carlisle had Corporal Yorkie working on the lines so that they would know the minute action was needed.

As another wave of injured soldiers came into camp, the evac buses were asked to stay long enough to load with the remainder of the wounded that could be safely moved.

Nurse Swan was diligently handing instruments to the ornery Captain King when the sight of Yorkie's silhouette running to the Colonel's side froze her where she stood.

"Dammit Nurse, quit gawking and hand me the sponge," Royce roared at her from across the gurney.

"Watch it, King," Major Hale warned.

"Both of you shut up and get back to work," Major Whitlock yelled, silencing the room.

A few minutes of back and forth with the Corporal had Colonel Cullen making his announcement. "Boys, how close are you to being finished over there?"

"Closing up now," Edward responded.

"About to close," Jasper told his commander.

"I have another ten minutes or so on this one," Captain King said with a harsh look to his nurse.

"Good, then you three can take the last three patients waiting in triage, while I go and look for a potential site for a bug out. They still won't give official word on that, but as of noon today, the nurses are being evacuated to another MASH unit further from the fighting. Major Hale, I trust you to see to the prompt removal of your personnel."

The murmur in the room was quickly squashed as the last patients were brought in. It didn't take long for Dr. King to see the reason for his patient's shortness of breath and abdominal pains were not due to his gunshot wound, but to the cancer that was ravishing his body. After removing the slug, he sewed him up so that he could be moved with the nurses to a MASH unit that could chopper him to Tokyo for medical treatment. With their patient off the table, Dr. King and Nurse Swan took off their gloves to go about their days.

While Royce went to sleep, Isabella joined Alice and the other nurses who were packing their things, taking only essentials with them. The rest of their possessions were packed so that they could be loaded quickly in case a bug out did come.

By nine-thirty, a majority of the packing was done and Captain Masen went in search of Sergeant McCarty, who would be driving the supply truck filled with nurses.

"Captain, if you're here to lecture me on being safe with your girlfriend, you don't need to, the Major beat you to it. I volunteered for this because I'm the best driver in camp and I know how to fix the rig if it breaks down. There's no one who would keep them safer, simply out of my respect for these women, rest assured." Emmett finished his speech, confused by the look on the Captain's face.

"I only wanted to know when you'd be ready to depart, so I know how much time I have with her."

"Another hour, tops. I'm waiting for Major Hale to finish her checks."

Without another word, Dr. Masen went in search of his love. She wasn't hard to find, a bundle of nerves on her stripped cot.

"Edward, can't I take you with me? I'm so scared about this evacuation."

"Darling, I'd love to come with you, but I think Major Hale would object. You'll be gone for a few days and when you return there will be such a party that no one will sleep for a week."

"How can you be so cool about this?" Bella asked.

"Because I've seen it before. They'll say it's a bug out, but they'll move the nurses for a spell and then bring you back when they realize there's no real threat to us. It's a precaution, that's all," Edward soothed.

"But what if it isn't?" Bella pressed.

"Then when the unit is relocated you will be driven to our location. But honestly Bella, they only move us if the enemy is dangerously close." Edward was running out comforting words, so he settled for the truth. "I'm going to miss you every minute that you're gone."

Isabella lost the battle with her tears as she hugged him closely. "Oh Edward, I love you. Please be safe while I'm away."

"That's my line," he whispered, kissing her again. It was just about that time that there was a rap on the door.

"Nurse Swan, we're shipping out," Major Hale called through the canvas.

"We'll be together again soon,"Edward told her as he walked with her over to the truck that was already loaded with the rest of the nurses.

Jasper lifted Alice up just as Edward pulled Bella to his side. "Look after my heart; I'm leaving it with you."

"I will," she replied as he lifted her to the back of the truck.

Doctors Masen and Whitlock watched with heavy hearts as the nurses drove away, the Major commenting, "This is going to be a long couple of days."

"I know, Royce is going to be a pain in the ass the first time we have to do surgery without them," Captain Masen joked halfheartedly.

The MASH was a lot quieter without the nurses there, but when the first wave of casualties hit, every extra set of hands was called into the OR to assist. Surgery seemed to take longer as the doctors had to describe what they needed instead of simply asking for it.

"You numbskull, I asked for a clamp," Captain King yelled at Corporal Yorkie.

"I'm sorry Sir, but I'd like to see you do my paperwork," Eric quipped before realizing what he said.

"Quiet down over there," the Colonel yelled, ending all arguments.

The conditions were bad at the 8076, but the 8063 was far worse. The unit was further from the fighting at the moment, but they were getting more wounded in case the 8076 was forced to bug out. On top of that, they didn't have room for the extra fourteen nurses and the Sergeant currently staying with them. The supply truck with McCarty was staying put, so the girls used sleeping bags in the back of the truck, with Emmett bunking with the enlisted men. Bella and Alice huddled in the back of the truck, exhausted, but unable to sleep without news from their boys.

"Well, at least we know they haven't bugged out, because we would have gone to meet them," Alice thought aloud.

"I feel sorry for whatever non-com is stuck assisting King while we're here. You know he's tearing them to shreds for not knowing the equipment." Bella thought about the men there alone and sighed as Edward dominated her mental image. "I miss him, Alice."

"I miss Jasper too," Alice whispered.

Snuggling closer, the pair tried to find some bit of sleep.

Back at the 8076, there were wounded being moved out, and no additional ones coming in, so Colonel Cullen got on the horn to see what the reason was.

"Now listen, Sergeant, we're a hospital, so the fact that we don't have any patients coming into our facility is fishy. I need to talk to your commander and get the story from him."

Carlisle waited for the General to pick up the line, and the information he got was not what he wanted to hear. Throwing the phone back into the bag, he found Eric and told him to get a chopper. Before he went up to search for a new location for the unit, he found Major Whitlock to inform him of the work that would need to be done.

"Jasper, I'm going up to scout our new location, we need to start breaking down the OR. Eric has buses on the way to clear out the remainder of our wounded so the Post Op ward can be done next. Our personal items and quarters are the last things to be packed."

"I've got it, Sir," Jasper said as he ran off to begin organizing the men.

Carlisle met the pilot and looked over the map at the perspective locations as they flew to the first such spot. It took three locations before he found one that had the access road and enough space to fit all of their buildings. Calling it in, the 8076 had a new location.

Meanwhile, the officers were breaking down the various parts of the hospital. Captain King was working with the orderlies to get the patients on the evac buses sitting in the compound, while Captain Masen was taking care of the cleared portion of Post Op.

Large crates were filled with the supplies that were housed in the cabinets and up on shelves, while the cot mattresses were rolled and the beds folded. The beds were loaded on one side of the truck, with the crates going in the middle. It would allow for more items to be unloaded at the same time, so the new Post Op would be reassembled quickly.

Once the room was finished, Edward split the men between the OR and the supply room, knowing they would need some strong men to lift the shelving units up so they could load them in.

The Colonel landed to find his camp partially dismantled, and it broke his heart to see it. They'd spent nearly two years in that location, and now they were being forced out by the enemy's fast approach.

Getting into the office's which were boxed up with the exception of the desks and the electronic equipment; he found the Corporal and had him send news to the nurses. They would be moving at first light, and he needed them to know where MASH 8076 would be calling home.

The rest of the night was used to box up every remaining item that could be moved and all that remained were the tents that housed the personnel and their cots. With extra men on patrol that night, the men of the 8076 sacked out early, because they would need their energy in the morning.

At the 8063, the information had been relayed to the nurses and as the sun rose over the hill, the Sergeant had the truck moving down the road. When the nurses arrived at the site, they began marking off spaces for the buildings using the layout the old unit had, and modifying it for the space they had.

An hour after they'd begun, the first vehicles from the 8076 rolled up and parked on the opposite side of the road. The first thing they unloaded were the pieces of the OR building, which included the offices and the Post Op. Colonel Cullen spoke to Major Hale about what she'd seen as far as layout, and instructed the enlisted men to begin with that.

Through the chaos, Edward and Jasper managed to give quick hugs to their gals before they started to pitch the Mess Tent.

Within a few hours, the first buildings were starting to take shape, with the building complete on the main building and the supply room and the kitchen built. As buildings were completed, the officers and the nurses began to put together the OR and Corporal Yorkie had the solitary task of putting the offices back together.

The c-rations were passed around for lunch and dinner that night as they worked to get everything off the trucks, so they could then begin to unpack the unit.

The kitchen was made functional for a basic meal in the morning, and hopefully a hot meal for lunch.

As Carlisle surveyed the new camp, he was pleased with what his people had accomplished today. If they heard the choppers, they'd be ready for them, and another day or two would see the rest of their frivolities handled. It didn't miss his notice that as people went to sleep for the night, two of his doctors were escorting two nurses to the convoy of military trucks.

"Stay to the interior trucks, and try to find your way to your tents tonight, men. I need you to be functional in the morning if we're going to be ready for the onslaught." A smiled played on the Colonel's lips as he heard the muttered 'yes Sir' come from both of his men.

While Jasper climbed into the third truck in the row, Edward stayed closer to camp and pulled Bella into the second of the military vehicles, leading her to the front of the space once the flap had been pulled down.

"You have no idea how good it is to see you," Edward whispered as he kissed any skin that he could find on Isabella's face and chest.

"I can guess it is nearly as good as it is for me to see you," she murmured in response. "We've been so worried about you, and now we have bugged out. How close was the enemy before you evacuated?"

"They were still a little ways out, but we were losing ground, so they were being cautious. As soon as they push them back beyond where they've been, the unit will be relocated back," Edward explained to a panicked looking Bella.

"They'd move us back there? But the enemy is so close?"

"The North Koreans and the Chinese are always close, the problem is they had momentum this time. We aren't really gaining or losing much land at this point, its repeated fights over the same hills. A majority of bug outs are only temporary, and by the nature of our unit we need to be closer to the front than we will be if it shifts back. We're nineteen miles away from where it normally sits."

"Is the 8063rd going to bug out also?" Bella asked.

"Probably not, the eight-oh-double nickel was bugged out about a week ago, but apparently there's already talk about them moving back in week or two. The guys at ICOR will leave us here just long enough to get comfortable, and then order us to bug back."

"As much as we love the newsreel, could you two quit talking and start kissing. I'd like to enjoy my time with my girl," Jasper's voice sounded from the next truck.

"Well, that does sound like a much better idea," Edward joked as he kissed Nurse Swan.

They removed their clothing and as Dr. Masen lay naked beside Bella, he realized his error.

"What's wrong?" Isabella asked.

"I don't have a condom, Isabella," he revealed, but her next statement shocked him.

"It's okay," she whispered.

"Bella, Darling, I don't think we should tempt fate with something like that," he reasoned, but she shook her head.

"You see us having a future together, Edward. So if we're meant to start that life a little earlier, would that upset you?" Isabella asked.

"But you'd be sent home if you became pregnant," he told her.

"And I could return to the hospital in Seattle after the baby was born until you are discharged," she explained. "If one of us were to get sent home, would you consider getting married here before we're parted?"

"It's hard to say," he said truthfully. "Part of me would want to give you the traditional wedding you deserve, but another part of me would hate to leave you with just a proposal."

"Well then for tonight, let's not worry about it. The war is on the outside this truck, but in here we can be us for a moment."

Edward's response to her plea was a fervent kiss as he settled above her. He would never admit it to her, but as he entered her that night, he prayed that fate did intervene and give her a child. It was the one way he could ensure that she was safe from all of the insanity that was Korea, and it meant that she would always have a piece of him, should the worst happen.

The couple stayed in the truck for a little while longer before they redressed and made the walk to Bella's tent so Edward could wish her a good night and then head in to get some much needed sleep himself.

The morning started with the enlisted men digging the officer's latrines, as everyone had been forced to use the enlisted men's the previous day, and the cook had toast, oatmeal, and hot coffee in the Mess Tent.

Nurses were running the show in the supply tent and the doctors were busy putting the rest of the equipment together in the OR and Post Op, rendering the hospital fully functional just as Corporal Yorkie answered the call telling them that incoming wounded were en route.

For two weeks, the 8076 manned their new post, taking in patients and working as if they'd always held that location. Yet with each wave of soldiers that came through, there was no word about their future.

During one such OR session, Nurse Swan spent the afternoon across from Major Whitlock, with Edward right behind her at his own table. Dr. King was busy fighting with Major Hale and the Colonel was contemplating desertion. The move had been hard on everyone, and certain personalities were starting to wear on the morale of the unit.

Carlisle took his last patient into Post Op and then headed straight for his office to file the appropriate paperwork.

Just as the last of the staff were exiting the OR, Colonel Cullen approached the offending Captain. "Dr. King, you have two hours to pack your bags and be waiting at the landing pad, because you're on the next evac chopper out of camp for three days R&R in Tokyo."

Dr. King was gone in a flash and Edward was already plotting his date possibilities with his girlfriend. Jasper caught up to him a minute later and tried to negotiate for the use of their bunk.

"Alice has night duty two of those nights, and Bella has it the third, so I think that's fair. We'll swap shifts so that we're working with our gals on their shifts, and then enjoy our nights," Dr. Masen said excitedly as he went to find Bella.

"We have my tent to ourselves tonight, so come over after your shift," Edward whispered as he cut through Post Op, stopping to check on one of his patients before he went about his day.

Procuring the few items he needed for his plan, Edward was quick to return to his tent after dinner. Bella walked over and knocked on the door to the Captain's tent to find soft candlelight and a bottle of wine sitting beside his bed.

"Edward, what is all of this?" Bella asked as he latched the door and led her to sit on the bed.

"The past few weeks have been so stressful, and you haven't gotten any leave yet, so I wanted to treat you to a special evening. Now, slip out of that uniform and let me give you a massage."

"That's awfully sweet, Edward, but we've both been stressed by the bug out." Bella tried to dissuade him from making her the center of attention.

"I know, baby, but we also started something the other night and if we're successful, then you need to be healthy and well looked after." Edward watched the recognition cross her face.

"You want to keep trying, don't you?" she questioned him.

"I've gotten a fair deal of points, Bella, and if I'm going home, I'd love to take you with me. I don't know if I could agree to a discharge and leave you behind."

"You can and you will if the time comes," Bella threatened him. "There is no way you would allow me to stay here if I got a discharge -"

"Damn straight," Edward interrupted her and she smiled.

"Then you will do the same. We know how the channels work, how to get messages wired if it is an emergency, or what to really take out of the news we hear. We will make it through this, Edward."

"Fine, but for now, less talking and more disrobing," Edward teased. "I would like to pamper my gal and maybe enjoy a little loving."

"You've got the mind of a boy, you do, Edward."

"Only in relation to you, now please," Edward's plea finally earned him some much desired skin from his love as she removed her clothing, leaving on her underwear as she lay on the bed.

Edward removed his own shirt and sat beside Bella, working a bit of the lotion he had pilfered from the Supply Room in his hands. His fingers worked hard on her aching muscles, kneading out knots and easing the tension in her shoulders and back.

"Oh, Edward … oh that feels divine," she breathed, truly getting in touch with his baser side. Times like this were rare, and he needed to take advantage of it.

"Sweetheart, let us try something so that we can be discreet in our actions," Edward said as he removed the rest of his clothing and put it with his laundry. With Bella's clothing, including her newly discarded undergarments, folded on the chair, Edward slipped behind her on the cot and pulled the covers over them. "Now, Bella, lay flush against me and lift your leg back over mine."

"Like this," she asked and was rewarded with the feel of him brushing between her legs.

"Yes, perfect. All I have to do is slip in and push …" Edward trailed off as he followed his own directions, her soft gasp and the arch of her back letting him know that she liked this particular position.

"Oh, Edward," she moaned as he pulled her face closer to his and kissed her soundly.

"That's it, Bella," he whispered as he lifted his leg a little to allow him to thrust deeper into her.

The slow rhythm of their lovemaking soon escalated as the position gave them a sense of urgency. Edward's hands claimed every inch of skin he could as he pushed harder and deeper into Bella, her unexpected orgasm sending him into his own blissful release.

It was a while before they stood from the bed, redressing to sit down and read together, a new hobby that Bella had requested they start. The first book that Edward was able to get for them was _The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe_ by C.S. Lewis.

That night they were able to read the first two chapters before sleep took them, but the following night was more of the same.

Even though they were working the final day of Royce's R&R, it afforded them some time to be together, or at least, they thought it would. They were four hours into a ten hour shift in Post Op having not had any casualties since the session before Royce's departure, when Colonel Cullen came in looking annoyed and nervous at the same moment.

"The fighting has shifted back and since it appears that we're going to hold the land and possibly gain another hill or two, we are bugging back. I need a list in the next hour of which patients can be bused out and which ones will require choppers. The buses will begin pulling into the compound in ninety minutes and once our patients start moving we can begin to break down these rooms as well. I have the remaining members of the unit working on the rest of the camp."

"Carlisle?" Edward addressed him, hoping to get a signal that this was a routine bug back and not something more sinister afoot.

"We knew this was only temporary, so get to that list," Dr. Cullen said as he went to rouse the rest of his compound.

The lists were made in triplicate so that Corporal Yorkie could file and send ICOR their copy, as well as the drivers' manifests for each bus that would leave the compound. Thirty-four men were well enough to take a bus, while another eighteen would be choppered out either to Tokyo, Seoul, or one of the other units.

Orderlies loaded the first twenty-four men into the two buses, Head Nurse Hale signing off on their transport papers so that Nurse Swan and Nurses Stanley and Clearwater could continue their work in the ward.

Pairs of choppers were being flown in every twenty minutes to evac those needing the smoother ride. Three hours after the Colonel told Dr. Masen about the move, he was standing in an empty Post Op as the team began to work. The cots were broken down and the crates were brought in to fill with the supplies that had to be safely transported.

The Supply Room had been only partially unpacked, so it was already being lined up to be loaded into the truck, the shelves being carried out as the walls started to come down.

The Mess Tent had finished its preparations for the next twenty-four hours worth of meals, while the benches and tables were loaded, allowing a few men the chance to load everything in the kitchen and move onto other rooms.

The OR was another project, but by midnight, a lion's share of the work was done.

Edward dragged Bella back to his tent, knowing that Jasper and Alice were likely passed out in his bunk already, needing her near so that he could sleep soundly.

Six-thirty saw everyone back to work, organizing equipment, knocking down buildings, and packing personal effects. Royce had been delayed in Tokyo, as the exact location of the 8076 wasn't known. The doctors' tents were broken down and their belongings were piled up, divided by the tent itself from the next set of quarters in their truck.

At four o'clock, the last of the items were loaded and the ninety-minute ride began. The number of checkpoints, and the fact that they were traveling down winding roads made the forty mile drive, was what made the trip so long.

Nurse Swan had their book tucked into her knapsack as she sat on the bus, saving the seat beside her for her doctor. The pair sat close, reading in soft voices as they made their way back to the original location of the 8076. When they finally pulled in, Colonel Cullen was surprised to see a unit of men waiting for them, but once their purpose was known, he was grateful.

The commander of the unit walked up to Dr. Cullen with a hand raised in salute. "Colonel, the 8055 will be bugging out shortly, and we the General wants you back up to specs in as short a period as possible. We may not be able to do the fine work, but tell us where you want your buildings constructed and what crates go where and we'll have you unpacked and resembling a MASH in no time."

"My Corporal has a copy of the layout map, and he'll tell you what needs to be done in what order. I'll get my personnel organized so they can help you get this completed."

The rebuild began, and with the extra men the trucks were unloaded in two hours. The soldiers were put on the task of building the OR building, which included the OR, offices and the Post Op, and then the Supply Tent. The enlisted men dug the latrines and built the kitchen and Mess Tent back while the doctors and nurses worked on their sleeping quarters. The enlisted tents were completed last, with the contents all safely in the building so that they were out of the open.

The first night shift started with the setup of the OR, moving on to Post Op and the Supply Tent just as dawn broke. The remainder of the day was spent putting the unit back together in preparation for the wounded they knew would be coming.


	6. The Aid Station

AN: I've been asked more than once where they are in Korea, but that information is tricky to come by. Anywhere I choose would be a guess. MASH units were stationed near the front and in the first two years of the war, it shifted constantly. They would bug out weekly at some points and the moves would be done quickly and precisely. There is nowhere to accurately look up information online about the locations where MASH units were set up, but I know for a fact from a site dedicated to veterans trying to find former army buddies that in the course of 1952 one MASH was stationed in both Taegu and Hwachon, which are nearly on opposite sides of South Korea...there is no specific location in mind, because most guesses will be wrong, or right, but not for long. Even the city of Wijambu, which is often referenced on the TV show MASH can't be found on google maps. So I ask that you suspend your disbelief and bear with me as I say that the setting is a MASH unit in Korea.

Love to mizzdee, who has waded through a mountain of finished chapters so I could post. For those of you who read "The Family You Make" there will be an update this weekend.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Story is rated M for language and lemons.

Chapter 6 – The Aid Station

The bug out was well behind the 8076, with three weeks of distance being more than was necessary when life changed in a minute. But as luck often had it, when one danger passed, another one presented itself.

It was the second week of May when Corporal Yorkie ran into the OR to whisper in the Colonel's ear. Nurse Swan was seasoned enough to know that meant trouble.

She tried to focus on the table before her, but Dr. Whitlock had to ask her three separate times for sutures before she shook out of it and handed him what he needed.

The senior staff was called to a meeting in the Colonel's office as soon as they cleared the front of the building. Alice pulled Bella into the Mess Tent to wait for the news to come down to them.

"It's bad, Alice, I know it is," she told her friend, who shook her head.

"Bella, we will get through this fine, I promise you."

"Why did you say it like that, Alice," Bella asked as Corporal Yorkie approached.

"Lieutenants, the Colonel needs Nurse Swan in his office.

Bella followed behind him to see all three surgeons sitting there as well as Major Hale. Before she could ask why she was called in, the Colonel spoke. "Lieutenant, I received word that an Aid Station near the front is in need of a doctor and a nurse to help until their replacements arrive. We've been seeing a fair number of their wounded in here and they're coming off the lines with burns in addition to their other injuries, so of all of my nurses, you're the most competent with the treatment of burns."

"I'm being sent to the front?" Bella whispered as the fear gripped her.

"There's nothing that can be done for it," Carlisle said, but you have your choice of surgeon with the exception of Dr. King and I, who have both seen time at a unit at the front. You don't have to decide now, but the jeep will leave at 0700," Carlisle dismissed them, and Edward was already over at Isabella's side.

"It'll be fine," he whispered. "I have some things to take care but I will meet you in the Mess Tent tonight for dinner and we will discuss our departure then."

"I'm taking Jasper," Bella whispered loud enough for only the two men to hear.

"Excuse me?" Edward asked.

"I have to choose my surgeon, and I'm picking Major Whitlock," Bella rasped.

"Like hell you are? There's no way that my girl is walking straight into hell while I'm sitting here looking for drips of information from drugged up patients."

"Edward, I won't let you put yourself in danger just so you know how much danger I'm in. We'll be fine, but I need to know that you're here waiting for me."

"Bella, love, don't send me away from you in your time of need. Please let me go with you."

Bella nodded dumbly as Alice led her to the tent to pack the small bag she would be taking with her for the few days they would be stationed at the front. In the time they were alone, Bella finally had the chance to talk out here fears.

"Alice, if Edward is there with me, he's going to be…"

"I can't tell the future, Bella, but I have every intention of going back to the States on the arm of my Major and maybe convincing him to take a position at an Army hospital, or VA somewhere closer to you two."

"You can't be serious?" Bella asked.

"What? How can you not think that far ahead of this place? My sanity lives in daydreams of Edward and Jasper hiding out from a pair of very pregnant ladies, waiting for the hormones to abate so the loves of their lives can make a reappearance. Just try and have faith, and don't do anything I wouldn't do in the next week," Alice teased.

"Week?" Bella gasped.

"You shouldn't be gone that long, but I'm including our first few days back as well," Alice clarified.

"I'll try," Bella told her as they finished putting her piles of clothes into the bag so they could both find their men.

The couples ate together in the Mess Tent but were then forced to retire to their quarters as the Captain and his Lieutenant had an early Jeep ride.

The next morning, Edward was packing the Jeep with supplies when Bella finally emerged from the Nurses' Tent.

"Here are my things," she said as Edward put her duffle bag in beside his and then checked the rope securing the extra boxes.

"We're all set, now we just have time for a quick breakfast," Edward whispered as the Colonel approached.

"I'm sorry, but I need you to get on the road. The best I can offer is some buttered toast and a thermos of coffee." Bella took it from the Colonel as she climbed into the Jeep, sitting it down only long enough to put on her helmet. Edward did the same and Carlisle took a step back. "God's speed."

With a salute, Edward pulled out and began their journey. It took most of the morning between the length of the journey, the rough roads, and the poor directions, but eventually he parked the vehicle beside the ambulances and they took what their arms could carry as they ran for the building. Men from the aid station ran out to get the remainder of their things. A haggard looking man a few years older than Edward reached out to take his hand.

"I'm Dr. Peter Martins, and I'm what's left of the medical staff here, what are your names?"

"I'm Dr. Edward Masen and this is Nurse Bella Swan," Edward told him, noticing that he didn't discuss rank.

"Pleasure. Now let me show you around." The building had three rooms, which were set up to stage the men coming off the front line. "The front room is where we triage our patients, then in this large area we perform surgery, or simply put a band-aid on the bullet wound until your friends can get a hold of them. That small room in there is our version of the supply building. Now, I hate to rush you, but we just got the call of incoming wounded, so stash your gear and sidle up to the bottle of alcohol."

Edward and Bella did as Peter instructed and soon they were wrist deep in their first set of patients. "Nurse, you're the burn expert, so we'll have the men that need your special attention set up on the sawhorses here. If there's anything you need, one of the corpsmen will help you."

"Thank you, Sir," Bella responded as the first man was brought in. He didn't seem to have many injuries beside the burns, so the Lieutenant got to work. She irrigated the charred flesh and worked quickly to clean the area, applying a generous amount of sulfa powder before she dressed the wound and called for the next gurney.

The three of them worked like this for a few hours before Peter called Isabella to his patient. "Nurse Swan, I need your help for a moment."

She rounded the gurney just in time to see the doctor's hands as well as the patient catch fire. "Get me water," Bella called as she used the water she had carried over to put out the patient's abdomen while Peter sunk his hands into a basin of the cooling liquid.

"That's not the first time it's happened. We strip them of their clothes and they still go up like a roman candle," Peter said shaking his head.

"It's the wound itself," Bella explained. "The fire is put out, but the first time the area is properly rinsed is here. If it's a grease or oil based fire then depending on how they pack it, it can hold the heat and continue to burn the patient until they are cleaned up properly. But these are likely phosphorus burns. The alcohol and the open air give it an accelerant and something to feed it. Look at the area; they put a salve on thinking it was helping, but it held the phosphorus in the wound."

"Corpsman, get me plenty of bandages and another few basins of water, we'll be here a while." Peter worked with Nurse Swan, watching how sure she was in her movements. "How did you come to be the burn expert at your MASH?"

"The hospital I worked at in Seattle is known for its burn unit, and all of the nurses are trained in the burn procedures, regardless of where they work within the hospital. I used to do shifts in the ER as well as the burn unit, so I saw a lot of it. We once had a kitchen fire from a local restaurant, a prep cook knocked over a skillet of oil and it ignited, sending the kitchen up. He refused treatment at the scene but came in later saying he'd burned himself on the skillet's handle and didn't understand why it was still burning. We unwrapped it and saw that it was an oil burn, he'd put his hand into the skillet of oil without knowing it and put salve on it, trapping in the heat. That is one of one hundred stories I could bore you with."

"It wouldn't bore me, Lieutenant, this is a vital part of my education," Peter joked.

"Do we have a tub we could submerge him in?" Bella asked, but Peter shook his head.

"That's above our pay grade here. We can douse him and see if we can find the phosphorus, or we can leave it open and get him on a bus headed to your unit."

"Let's get him on his way then. This will take too long and there are too many others that need our attention." Bella had Peter write the note on his tag in case Royce was doing triage and they moved onto their next patient as the first bus left with their burn victim and a few others.

Edward noticed the way the pair chatted over the next two patients, so when he needed an extra set of hands on one of the boys, he jumped at the opportunity. "Lieutenant Swan, can you come help me with this patient?"

"Of course, Doctor," she said, washing her hands in alcohol before moving to his makeshift table.

"You and Peter seem to be getting along well," he said and he handed her the retractor he'd been trying to hold himself while he worked.

"He's a sweet boy, Edward," Bella responded, knowing that she'd have to go further to assuage her love. "He was a resident when he was called up, so he learned a lot at the scalpel of the other MD that was stationed here until he was killed. His fiancée, Charlotte, had to get a job at a diner in their hometown and he wishes he was there so she didn't have to put up with the yahoos that he knows frequent the place. Peter doesn't have a hundred people to shoot the breeze with like we do at the 8076. He has the eight men who are left with him. In a few days he'll have a new cutter to work with and we'll be back to our own corner of hell, I was just trying to be polite as long as we're here. Peter could learn a great deal from you, if you would give him a chance."

"I'll talk to him when this round of surgery is over. You're right, I'm being an ass." Edward clamped off the bleeder long enough to sew it up and close the wound. "He should be good until he gets to the MASH, I'd rather they set his leg than us trying to do it before he gets on that bus and has it knocked back out of place."

They continued for a few more hours before the shelling began.

"They've been fighting all day, why is this the first shelling we've heard?" Isabella hollered into the din of noise.

"We lost our big gun in the fighting two days ago, and the North Koreans had been separated from theirs when we pushed them back," Peter explained. "So either they've pushed back to their original position, or we've finally decided that it was safe to use."

"Which does it sound like to you?" Edward asked him quietly.

"Them, they're landing too close for it to be us. I was just hoping to reassure the Lieutenant," Peter responded.

"Thank you, she'll have a hard enough time sleeping as it is." Edward looked over at Bella where she worked with one of the corpsmen to tie a pressure bandage on. "Do you want to get the rest of these men out?"

"I say we better. We can have a corpsman to get a report and find out what's happening. There's a chance we'll have to move, and if so, we don't have the luxury of six hours like you MASHers," Peter joked.

Finishing up their patients, all the wounded were sent off to their next stop as one of the corpsmen radioed the men on the front. A large explosion rang out as the man who had just got off the radio ran over to Peter as they started to clean up. "Captain, the line's holding and it seems that the Koreans blew up their own gun. So either they're pulling back and didn't want to leave it, or they just screwed the pooch and weakened themselves, either way, they say it should quiet down for a while."

"You hear that, we'll get some sack time," Peter told Edward and Bella before returning his attention to the corpsman. "Have two men on patrol and the rest of you can catch some shut eye, we'll do the same."

"Yes, Sir," the corpsman responded.

"You two take the supply room. It's the only part of this building that isn't being held up by sandbags."

"Thank you, Captain," Bella said as she walked towards the door, turning when Edward didn't follow. "I'll see you in the morning."

Peter chuckled as Edward continued to watch her. "It's a blessing and a curse having her so near, isn't it?"

"You have no idea," Edward told him. "I'm so grateful that she's with me and that I met her here, but there isn't a moment of the day that I'm not afraid for her. She's the best thing to ever happen to me and I could lose her in an instant. It's been a year since she rode into our unit, her hands inside a patient that she and the company clerk hitched a ride with after their jeep had been blown up, and it has been the best year of my life."

"You planning on marrying her?" Peter asked.

"As soon as I can. If we do it now, she'll get shipped to another unit, so I'm waiting for this to be over or one of us to get our points. I hope it's her, I pray to every God there is that she gets moved to a hospital away from the fighting, or discharged outright. I'll put a ring on her finger and tell her that I'll meet her in Seattle as soon as I get my papers."

"It's nice to see something good come out of this damn thing. We see so much of the bad; it's hard to remember there's a whole other world out there that has no idea what we're going through. That's my biggest worry with Charlotte. She sees the newsreels but that isn't the half of it. I read her letters and she tells me that she's so proud of me and what I'm doing…but what if I can't go back to normal life?"

"With the love of your gal, you'll make it through, hold onto that," Edward assured him.

"You're a good man, Edward, and a damn fine surgeon."

"You're not too bad yourself, Martins. If you have anything you want to ask, feel free," Edward offered.

"Will do. But for now I think you should go keep you girl warm, the holes in the ceiling takes some getting used to."

Edward laughed at Peter's joke as he went in the supply room to find Bella curled tightly in on herself. He took his duffle out long enough to find the blanket he'd stuffed into it and slid behind Bella.

"Edward," she yawned.

"I'm here, Sweetheart, go back to sleep."

A loud booming noise startled the couple in the pre-dawn hours, Edward having enough clarity of mind to throw himself on top of Bella.

"Grab whatever you can carry and move out, we're falling back!" Peter yelled from the main room and Edward threw his duffle open and pushed the blanket in before slinging it on his back and grabbing two of the supply cases. The boxes looked like small trunks, but having been closed and latched the night before; they securely held everything they needed inside.

Four corpsmen came in to carry the remaining cases while Peter and the four corpsmen in the main room collected their supplies and took off into the brush. Captain Masen kept his girlfriend close as they moved with the second half of the aid station's men.

"I thought we were supposed to stay out of the brush because that's where they lie in wait?" Bella whispered when they moved.

"A spotter plane likely saw the building and assumed what we're using it for. They'll take out the building and move on," Peter told her bluntly.

"They're attacking it because if they kill us, they're killing all the men we could have saved," one of the other men said, only to be smacked by the man closest to him.

"Don't scare the Lieutenant; she's not used to this."

Bella leaned into Edward's side harder, needing any strength she could get from him. Two more planes flew over and two more bombs fell to the ground. The first landed in the field to the right of the aid station, the second falling just beside it, blowing the building up. They waited several long moments before they heard movement coming towards them.

"We're moving out," a gruff looking man said from the road. "'I' Company is holding this position now, and we're being moved to another hill so we can keep these Commies running."

"What about the replacement surgeon? Will he be informed of our new location?" Peter asked.

"The cutter probably knew before we did, he'll be there in the morning, which will be good since it'll take us all day to get there. Load your things into the Jeeps and send the skirt back to her unit," the commander said.

"Peter?" Edward asked, wanting to make sure he'd be all right until the new surgeon arrived.

"He's right, we'll take the day to get there then you'll just have to leave in the morning. Get Bella back to the 8076 and take this." Peter shoved a piece of paper into his hand and the men went to look at their vehicles.

The distance from the building and where the bomb had landed meant that the three jeeps had survived, having been shielded by the overturned bus. The corpsmen pushed it off from where it had been leaning against one of the Jeeps and then loaded the gear in, before climbing in themselves. It was a tight fit, but they managed, and Edward took Bella's duffle and loaded their bags before lifting her into the passenger seat and driving off.

Bella didn't say a word as they drove back to the camp, and as they grew closer he began to worry. There was a small village that the doctors had come to know well as they would often treat the locals, so Edward pulled the car over and turned to Bella.

"Sweetheart, I'm worried about you," Edward said as he reached out for her.

"Edward, that was the single most frightening day of my life. We were supposed to be there for another day or two at least, and I can't imagine surviving that. I knew war was going to be the worst thing imaginable, and I've taken a little comfort that until now I've managed, but I'm not sure how I'm going to continue."

Edward took Bella's face in his hands as he spoke to her. "You are the strongest women I know, Bella. It may seem impossible, but we'll get past this together. I won't leave you alone in your suffering, all you have to do is tell me and I will be there."

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she leaned forward to kiss him. "I know, and I love you for it."

"Okay, let's get back and surprise everyone. I'm actually looking forward to lunch in the Mess Tent after the C-rations we had yesterday," Edward joked, breaking the tension between them.

The last few miles were short and as they pulled into the compound, Corporal Yorkie came running out to greet them. "You're early, Sir, Ma'am, but we sure are glad to have you back."

"We're happy to be back," Edward said. "Can you tell the Colonel we'll be in to see him after we get some sack time?"

"No can do, Sir. You may be early, but the moment you got in I was supposed to send in the Lieutenant."

"I'll meet you in the Mess Tent, Edward, I'm sure it's nothing major," Bella said as she climbed out of the Jeep.

Eric escorted her into Carlisle's office where he was having a discussion with Major Hale. "Sir, the Captain and the Lieutenant just pulled into the compound, so I brought Nurse Swan in."

"Very good, Corporal, that will be all," Carlisle said with a grin. "Nurse Swan, the promotions board got a very interesting letter about you about two months ago. It seems you impressed some pretty important brass while they were here and they spoke on your behalf and put you in for a promotion."

"What?" Bella whispered.

"Of course they contacted me and asked for your file, as well as my and the Major's opinion and we just got the list and you're on it. Congratulations, Captain Swan."

Bella backed away slowly. "I d…don't understand. People serve for years and never get promoted, and I'm one of the newest nurses in the unit. This doesn't make sense."

Rosalie stepped forward to explain. "You're a nurse whose specialty gives you a place of respect, which is what the General saw. He evidently asked about why the Major deferred to you and he explained that you came from a burn unit so when there was something that needed a special treatment you were the one the doctors preferred to have you handle it. I know you won't make a career out of being an Army nurse, but you have the makings of one. Your commendation, plus the high words of praise won over the board and now you're the second highest ranking nurse here, which will be sure to ruffle a few feathers, but you're the most deserving of my girls. Enjoy this, Bella. And you have the perfect place to celebrate it."

"Wait, you have another surprise?" Bella seriously began to wonder if she was sleeping in the aid station still after the turn of events.

"There's a seminar in Tokyo beginning on Monday, and since we'd just sent Captain Masen to the front we thought a few days in Japan plus a little R&R time would make up for it. Normally, the ranking nurse would accompany when there is a nurse's seminar as well, but your promotion means that you are the best choice to go. So between your R&R and the work functions you'll have five days in Tokyo." Carlisle smiled as Bella processed what he said.

"Edward and I will get five days together in Tokyo?"

"Yes, now, which surprise would you like to tell him first?" Carlisle teased.

"How long before the promotion takes effect? Will I have my bars when we leave, or…?" Bella trailed off as Carlisle reached into his desk.

"I have them right here, now we can have everyone assemble out front after lunch if you'd like."

"Would you mind if we did the ceremony in here, I don't want to make a fuss over it? It'll be nice to have a few days to try out my new hardware before going to Tokyo," Bella giggled.

Five minutes later had Bella trotting over to the Mess, Bella found Edward sitting with two trays at one of the first tables. Alice and Jasper were with him and as she slid in beside him, she could barely contain her excitement.

"I'm guessing whatever was so important was good news, Lieutenant?" Edward looked up from his tray to wink at her.

"I'm going to miss hearing you call me that," Bella said, causing him to drop his fork.

"Bella, what are you saying?" His mind immediately thought of her being rotated home, but she had to burst his bubble.

"I evidently impressed someone important, because I got promoted. I'm officially Captain Swan."

Edward's face regained its color as he pulled her in for a kiss. "I'm so proud of you, Bella. You really do deserve this. We have to celebrate!"

"We'll have plenty of time for that in Tokyo next week." Bella sprung another surprise on him.

"They're sending us to the medical seminar in Tokyo together?" he asked.

"Between where we just came from and my promotion, it sealed us as the candidates." She smiled even brighter at him.

"This is outrageous," Captain King bellowed. "They made you a Captain? What is wrong with this hare-brained Army? The very idea that you deserve to be on the same level as-"

"Watch what you say, Captain," Bella hollered back. "You seem to rejoice in making others miserable, but you aren't going to ruin this moment for me. I've worked my tail off here and I was recognized for it. Now you may not believe that anyone but you deserves praise, but I didn't see a cluster replace your Captain's bars, so I guess the abhorrent attitude you display on a daily basis put a tarnish on all of your _great work_."

Royce King stood there, unable to react to the fact that he'd been dressed down by anyone, let alone one of the nurses. Bella returned to her seat and resumed eating, not paying any attention to the Captain as he stormed out.

"Bella, I can't wait until we get to Tokyo, because I have a lot of time to make up for with you," Edward whispered to her.

"Don't feel the need to rush it, Edward. I plan on spending the rest of my life with you."

EN: So you know what next chapter will be…let's see if we can have one more before 2013 rolls around, shall we? If not, it won't be too long into the January.


	7. Seminar in Tokyo

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Story is rated M for language, and lemons.

**Hello all! I've got some very good news for my MASHward fans...I have chapters 8, 9 & 10 done. My beta is working through the last two as well as some other things, but the updates will keep coming for this. Right now this looks to be around 19 chapters including the epilogue, but as these guys seem chatty, I'm sticking with them. I'm still working on my other stories, but this one will probably be the first of my in progress stories to complete besides the ones that only have a chapter left. This chapter is a little shorter than normal, but it is mainly because this is a short break in the action for our couple. The drama will return next chapter as we near the midpoint in the story.**

**Thanks for the support and I will catch you again soon...leave some love so I know what you think.**

Chapter 7 – Seminar in Tokyo

Edward and Bella had their bags packed and were on a chopper to Seoul as soon as they could fly out. From there they took a plane to Tokyo. Bella hadn't taken any R&R yet, so Tokyo was a new experience for her.

As they made it through the airport in Japan, Edward secured them a ride to the hotel they would be staying at near Tokyo General, which was hosting the seminar. Even though she was still in uniform, the skirt took her a little getting used to, but Edward didn't mind it at all.

"What are we going to do about the rooms, Captain?" Bella asked as they were given their keys.

"Simple, we'll decide which one has the better view and stay there," Edward teased. "If you think I came all the way to Tokyo with you to sleep in separate rooms, you're mad. We'll get ourselves settled and then we can go over to the hospital for the first lecture."

"I wonder what they'll be discussing?" Bella wondered aloud.

"Whatever it is, I'm grateful that it got us out of Korea for the next five days," Edward told her.

Upon their arrival at the hospital, they signed in and were escorted to a large room where seating had been set up for all of those in attendance. While some of the doctors and nurses were mingled, there was a great divide of the majority of them, with the nurses on the left side of the room and the doctors on the right. Edward made a point of leading Isabella to a pair of empty seats in the back of the room and waited for her to sit before he did the same.

A doctor who appeared to be barely old enough to have a degree in medicine stood at the front of the room to gather everyone's attention.

"Thank you all, for taking the time away from your various assignments to make the journey here for what we hope will be a very informative three days."

For two hours, the schedule and the various topics were laid out, including the few mixers that were being held. There was one that evening and Edward already had plans for what they would do once they left.

When the welcoming lecture ended, the attendees were shown to another room where a repast was laid out for lunch. Edward watched as a few of the doctors eyed his girl, but she seemed to have blinders on for all but him. The same could have been said for Dr. Masen, as he was oblivious to the gaggle of nurses that had their minds set on the handsome physician. As they once again sat beside each other while they ate, the pair broke quite a few hearts, and caused a few more to be bold the next time they encountered them.

After lunch, the nurses went to their first lecture on assisting with triage, while the doctors were taught a new procedure for dealing with extensive damage caused by shrapnel.

Both Captains paid close attention so that they could relay the information once they returned to the 8076.

As the afternoon session ended, Edward and Bella met up so that they could grab a bite before going to the mixer that evening. The restaurant they dined in had mats on the floor and low tables as young Japanese women served the men around. Bella watched with a worrisome curiosity as men flirted and joked with the girls.

"Edward, during your first year in Korea, did you spend a lot of time in Seoul or Tokyo?"

"Not much, three days R&R at each, but this is the first time in almost a year now. Why do you ask?" Edward didn't know what Bella was trying to ask him, but he didn't like the look on her face as she did so.

"It's just that I've heard about the different activities that exist in these cities for men on leave, and I was wondering if you ever partook in them before we met." The color rushed her cheeks and her eyes found the table as she finished her sentence.

"Isabella, look at me," Edward said, catching her attention. "You know the extent of my history. A few nurses at the 8076 before I thought better of it, and while I've been to bathhouses and gotten a few massages, that is all that it was. I was never intimate with any of the L.I.P.'s."

"L.I.P.'s?" Bella asked.

"Local Indigenous Personnel. It's the army's term for the Koreans," Edward explained.

"I'm sorry that I asked you, it's just…" Bella stumbled over what to say, so Edward saved her the trouble.

"Hey," Edward reached over to take her hand. "If we're going to have a future, you have to feel that you can ask me hard questions. I promise to always be honest with you."

"Thank you, Edward. I still feel out of sorts sometimes. I've never really been in a serious relationship before, and I don't want to question you too much."

"Bella, I plan on marrying you, so I need you to feel free to talk to me openly. Now, if you're done with your meal, I have a surprise for you."

Bella shook her head as he waved over the waitress to pay for their meal and then led her down to catch a ride down to the Ginza. The shopping district was not what Bella had expected, but as Edward led her into a shop and told her to get herself a few dresses that she could wear out during the rest of their R&R, she balked.

"Edward, I'm not sure that I can afford a new wardrobe-"

"Bella, pick out a few dresses, I will be taking care of the cost. I want us to enjoy a few days out of the olive green and khaki outfits that we're always in. I so rarely get to spoil you." His lips danced to the spot behind her ear and she sighed her agreement as Edward promised to be back in a little bit.

While he left Bella to shop, Edward found a jewelry store a few shops down and looked over the merchandise. He was given the name of this particular store because it was reputable, so as he picked out a simple solitaire for the day he proposed to Bella, he didn't feel as concerned that it was a fake as if he'd gone in with no information. One hundred and fifty dollars later, he had the tiny box secured in his pocket and was returning to Bella, making a spot at the newsstand so that he could have an alibi for where he'd run off to.

Nurse Swan was looking at three dresses when he returned and he promptly told the sales girl to wrap them up so they could be on their way. Edward noticed the additional package, but Bella explained that Alice had asked her to pick up something while they were in Tokyo, so he smiled and took her hand as they browsed a little more.

Edward once again leaned in as he helped her into the car that would take them back to the hotel near the hospital. "We will be staying closer to this area on our last two days, I had Eric patch through a call for me so that is arranged already. But we had better return to the hotel so we can get ready for the mixer."

That night, all those in attendance were enjoying the libations and music that the hospital had arranged and as the doctors and nurses danced and chatted, Edward's patience wore thin.

"Hey, Mac, you can't hog one of the prettiest girls in the entire Asian theater just because you work with her. Let us take her for a turn on the floor." Edward's jaw clenched, just as Bella put an end to the idiotic man's attempt at earning her hand for a dance.

"The Captain and I are more than just co-workers, and his name is the only one that appears on my dance card, so you better try your luck with some of the other nurses."

Bella's smile was sugary sweet as she shot the man down, and Edward was once again whispering to his beloved. "How long is a respectable amount of time to spend at this mixer before we leave?"

"In thirty minutes I think I'll be overwhelmed by how suddenly tired I am, and I will need the assistance of my dear Captain Masen to escort me safely back to my hotel room."

Bella's smirk caused a groan to escape Edward before he responded, "It will be the longest thirty minutes of my life."

When it came time for them to leave, Edward led Bella to their hotel and quickly followed her into the room. The door was locked and their uniforms fell to the floor as Edward guided her back to the bed.

"God, Bella…tonight is going to be so special. I'm going to worship you for hours before I'm done with you."

Giggling, Bella sat back on the bed and stretched out. "I'm just happy that we don't have to worry about rolling off those tiny army cots."

Edward growled at her teasing comment before his lips found hers, beginning his worship of his love. His lips traveled across her cheek to her ear, and then down her jaw before moving down her neck. He spent a few minutes memorizing Isabella's collarbone before inching down to her breasts.

Sure fingers pulled her bra away from her body as he first kissed, and then sucked on her bosom. Ample attention was paid to each one until Edward continued to move south towards his ultimate goal.

Gasping both in shock and fear, Bella reached for Edward's shoulders. "Edward, what are you doing?"

"Sweetheart, it's okay, I know what I'm doing. I'm going to make you feel so good," he whispered, but she tugged on him again.

"Edward…" He could tell by her tone that this was more than nerves, so he stopped his movements and slid up beside her.

"Bella, darling, I don't want to make you uncomfortable. But this is something really special that I wanted to share with you. As a nurse you surely know that having someone…pay you attention down there can be quite pleasurable." Edward hated how bumbling he sounded, but it was the first time he was trying it, so it was never something he had to talk someone through before.

"I know that, Edward, but my mother always said that it was…" Bella left the sentence hanging and that worried Edward most of all.

"Bella, what did your mother say?"

"She said that there were some things that a man does with women he's with that he would never do with the woman he's going to marry because he respects her too much," Bella whispered.

"You don't think I respect you?" Edward asked.

"No, of course I think that you respect me, but I still have these small town insecurities. I've changed a pretty big part of myself by being with you and I'm just scared of what is going to happen after this."

Edward reached over to take Isabella's hand for a moment before getting out of bed to find his suitcase. "I wasn't going to show this to you until the moment I asked you, but I think you need to see this tonight." The Captain sat on the side of the bed, wiping a tear off his gal's cheek before he held out the small velvet box. "I bought this this afternoon while you were at the clothing store because I want to have it when the time comes. And it is coming, Bella. I would propose tonight if it didn't mean that they would ship you off to another unit, but the moment this war is over or one of us gets our orders, that ring is going on your finger. You're it for me, Isabella Swan, and I want to give you something I've never given anyone before. But if you aren't comfortable with it than I won't ever bring it up again."

"I knew I shouldn't have said anything," Bella mumbled through her tears.

"Of course you should, Bella, I need you to be honest with me and if you don't want me to do something then you tell me and I won't. You're my whole world, Sweetheart-" he tried to continue, but Bella cut him off.

"I know that! Goodness, Edward, I'm not questioning your love for me, it's just those types of activities were always considered taboo where I grew up. But living in a big city like Chicago would give you a different perspective. I saw things in my time in Seattle that were very different, so I can begin to understand it. Can we just wait? Maybe we could save it for our honeymoon?"

"We can definitely do that," Edward agreed. "I'm going to fetch my pajamas-"

"Wait, you mean we aren't going to…" Bella blushed as Edward turned back to her.

"You never have to ask me twice, Bella," Edward told her as he secured the ring in his suitcase and returned to her on the bed.

Their lovemaking that night was slow and sensual, with every bit of care and consideration paid by Edward to his beloved. As they fell asleep, Edward held her extra close so she could feel just how precious she was to him.

The morning led to another round of lovemaking before they showered and got ready for their second day of the seminar. Lectures filled a good portion of the day, as well as a chance for the doctors and nurses to observe a procedure or two so that they could see what they were being taught. The evening ended with a private dinner for the couple before they returned to their hotel for the night.

The final day of the seminal felt longer for Edward, even though it was a much shorter day. There was a shared lecture on dealing with patients suffering from battle fatigue and a separated VD lecture for men and the women. While Edward couldn't believe that as doctors and nurses they were being subjected to a lecture normally saved for the enlisted men, Bella tried not to giggle as the matronly head nurse tried to lecture the girls on the evils of GI's with smooth lines and fast hands.

After a pleasant little luncheon to send them off, Edward and Bella moved to their hotel closer to the Ginza. That evening they went to see a performance of Noh theater, but the masks and the stylized performance made it hard for Edward to follow.

The following day, Edward managed to fit in two other types of traditional entertainment with a matinee of Bunraku, a puppet performance that tells the story of Japan, and an evening performance of Kabuki theater.

Edward and Bella managed to get a little more shopping done as they enjoyed their final day in Tokyo, their night ending as they packed up and boarded a late night flight back to Seoul so they could hop a chopper and be back in camp by 2400 hours and the end of their time together in their happy little bubble.


	8. Goodbye Old Friend

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Story is rated M for language, and lemons.

The offensive being discussed here is the opening attack and the first Battle of Old Baldy (I promise that I'm not making that name up.) And this is the beginning of a rough patch in the fic, so I ask you brave souls to keep with me and we'll make it through. Wifey wasn't pleased with one of this chapter's turns, so I will give a tissue warning and a giant hug to my girl.

Chapter 8 – Goodbye Old Friend**  
**

After returning from their five days in Tokyo, Dr. Masen and Nurse Swan were lucky to get some rest before the next wave of casualties came in. Guerilla fighting had become worse in the area, and to top it off, a new offensive had begun which caused even more soldiers to be carried into the 8076 on their backs.

It was during triage out in the compound that Captain Swan came across a face she had hoped to never see in those circumstances.

"Jake?"

"Bells, damn, it's good to see you." Jake groaned as Bella lifted the pressure bandage to expose his abdominal wound.

"It's good to see you too, Jake, but not like this," she told him as she called over a corpsman. "Have Dr. Masen look at his abdomen right away, he may want to have him on his gurney first."

"Yes, Captain," the corpsman said as he called over someone to help him.

"Captain? My Silver Bells is a Captain in the US Army?" Jake joked as they lifted him up to carry him away.

"We'll talk in Post-Op, soldier," Bella called after him.

As she continued to evaluate the patients outside, her thoughts were on the other side of the wall separating her from the OR where Edward was working on her childhood best friend. The wounded kept coming, so the Captain kept up with the triage until the point came where she was debriding minor wounds so that they could be sewn up quicker.

Sixteen hours had passed while the doctors worked, but it seemed like nothing to the Captain as she went to find Edward on his way to the Mess Tent.

"How is Jake doing, Edward?"

"Who?" Edward yawned as he held the door open for Bella.

"Jacob Black, he was the Native American patient you had with an abdominal wound at the beginning of the shift." Bella was anxious as she watched Edward's face for any type of reaction.

"Lieutenant Black, right. He had a lot of shrapnel in his gut, and I had to remove some of his intestines where the damage was too severe but he should recover nicely in time. It might just be his ticket home, though."

"It's that serious?" Bella asked.

"With the amount of damage, it'll be a lengthy recovery process and even so he may not be able to return to active duty, so depending on the next couple of days he might be home soon. If you want we can go see him after breakfast."

"I'd like that; it'll give me a chance to sit with him before I have to work the afternoon shift with Dr. Cullen."

The couple ate and then made the trip to the Post-Op where Lieutenant Black was just coming out of the anesthesia.

"Jake, how are you feeling?" Bella asked as she sat beside him.

"I'm doing great, Bells. I should be out of this bed in no time." Jake's smile was infectious, but as he looked over her shoulder to the man watching on, his expression changed. "So, is this the doc that Embry told us about?"

"Yes, this is Captain Masen. He's also the doctor that performed your surgery." Bella urged Edward over and was happy to see the men shake hands.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Jacob, Bella has told me a lot about you."

"Likewise, Captain, I have to thank you for keeping our Silver Bells safe." Jake tried to laugh, but it quickly turned into a hiss.

"You shouldn't be talking and laughing right now, Jake," Bella admonished before standing up. "I have a shift in a few hours, so I'm going to take a nap and then I will see you this afternoon."

Isabella took her nap, happy to see that her friend was doing okay, and then changed to get ready for her shift. Working with the Colonel, Nurse Swan made her rounds and spent a little extra time with Jacob as he started to become more jovial. His incision was still tender and he was in a bit of pain, but he played it off as though it was nothing, especially in front of Bella.

Edward worked the overnight shift, and after taking a look at Jake, he had Nurse Webber administer his next dose of antibiotics and keep a close eye on him. Abdominal surgeries were very tricky when there was as much shrapnel as Jacob had, so Edward wanted to make sure that if there were any changes in his condition he wanted to be alerted right away.

The morning shift rotated through, and by the time Bella was back in the afternoon on Dr. King's shift, Jake was catching a little bit of rest. Bella rounded on her part of the ward while the other two nurses working that shift were tending to theirs, but when Royce caught her spending what he felt was too much time with Jake, he exercised his only measure of control, that as a doctor over a nurse, and had her moved to another section of the ward, leaving Nurse Tanya in charge of Jake and his bedmates.

At 2400 hours, Dr. Masen arrived with Alice, Jessica, and Kate, the four of them following Royce while he did rounds before he left for the night. The staff got to work, but by the second time they made their checks of their various patients, Nurse Stanley noticed a significant change in Jacob's condition.

"Dr. Masen, I need you to come here."

"What is it, Nurse Stanley?" Edward asked as he joined her at the foot of Jacob's bed.

"It's the Lieutenant, his incision is a little warm and it's a little red and swollen. On top of that he's developing a fever but is complaining of being cold. I think he has some type of Post-Op infection."

"Good catch, Jessica. Will you draw some blood and run a culture on it while I get him an increased dose of antibiotics and get some fluids into him?"

"Will do, doctor," Nurse Stanley said as she went to get the equipment needed.

Edward procured the medication and set it up with a new IV before checking Jacob's stats himself. When he palpated his stomach and felt a little rigidity, he became concerned. "Lieutenant, how long have you been feeling like this?"

"Since I woke up this morning," Jacob admitted.

"Then why didn't you say anything to Bella when she was on her service today?" Edward listened for signs that the infection had become septic, and heard his breathing coming a little too fast for his liking.

"I didn't want to upset her. With five years between us, she's been like another big sister since the day I was born."

"I always thought that all of you were closer in age," Edward said as he checked his file.

"My sisters are two years younger than Bella, then me, then Quil and Embry with a year between each of us. So we're spread out, but we spent so much time together that the age didn't matter growing up."

"I can see that," Edward said sincerely before telling him to get some rest as he returned to his other patients for the time being.

When Nurse Stanley returned with the results of the blood culture showing signs of infection, Edward knew what call he had to make. "Nurse Brandon, go wake up the Colonel and tell him that I need him to watch the Post-Op while I re-open Lieutenant Black."

"Should I tell Bella?" Alice asked, but Edward shook his head.

"No, because if you tell her about the surgery, then she will pace a trench outside the OR door. I will let her know first thing in the morning."

"Yes, Dr. Masen."

Nurse Stanley and Dr. Masen prepped Jacob for surgery and then opened him up, leaving the Captain quite upset by what he saw. The bowel that he had sewn up just two days ago was partially necrotic and showing the beginning signs of what could lead to septic shock.

After removing the dead tissue and running the bowel again, looking for any perforations that might be speeding the infection, but finding none, Edward closed Jacob up. As they settled him back into the Post-Op ward, Edward went down to the Mess Tent to find Bella.

"Good morning, Edward. How was everything last night?" Bella asked as they found a table and sat down to breakfast.

"Bella, darling, we had to perform a second surgery on Jacob."

"What? Why? What happened?" she asked quickly.

"He's become septic," Edward explained. "I have him on a high dose antibiotics, and had to remove some necrotic bowel early this morning, but I'm hoping that now that we've removed the tissue it will speed up the healing process."

"Edward, don't sugar coat it," Bella begged him.

"He's going to have a tough time, Bella. We caught it, but he had been feeling poorly since yesterday morning but didn't want to complain."

"Can I go see him?" Bella asked.

"We'll go as soon as we've finished eating. I have a feeling you may be scolding him when we get in there," Edward joked lightly. They tried to eat as much of the meal as they could before Edward escorted Bella back to Post-Op.

They entered and Bella was quick to check Jake's file before she sat beside him. "Jake, how are you feeling this morning?"

"Well, you read my chart, so I guess that lying and saying I'm fine isn't going to work this time." Jake tried to play off his illness, but she could tell just by looking at him that he wasn't doing well.

"You shouldn't have lied the first time, Jacob. You're old enough to stop this, you know. All you did was cause yourself more problems, a second surgery is serious and these antibiotics are going to take some time to clear up this infection."

"But I'll be okay, right?" Jake asked. "Because my tribe needs me. Sam Uley is the new police chief since my father's injury, but his place as chief of the tribe will fall to me. This will all clear up and I'll be on my way home soon."

"That's what we're working towards, but sepsis is serious, Jake, you need to tell us when something feels different," Bella implored.

"I will, Bells. I'm sorry, but it didn't feel that much worse than it did after I woke up from surgery. I just thought it was normal." Jake sighed and then cringed a little in pain.

"We're going to let you get some sleep, but I'll be back later on when I'm on duty," Bella told him before giving him a kiss on the forehead. On their way out, she stopped the Colonel. "Dr. Cullen, have one of the nurses check his fever, I think it's getting worse."

Bella and Edward spent the afternoon together, her telling stories about the boys as she worried about her best friend and his worsening condition. While Bella went to take a nap before their overnight shift, Edward returned to visit with Jacob. What he found was Alice sitting beside him taking down a letter.

"I don't want to interrupt your letter, I can always come back later," Edward began, but Alice stopped him.

"I have to check on my other patients, so you can visit with him for a bit. I will be back to finish your letter to your sister later, Lieutenant."

Edward settled into the chair that Alice had been sitting in and tried not to act like Jacob's doctor when he asked how he was doing.

"My chest is a little tight, but I'm still hooked up to the fluids and they just gave me my meds, so I'm hoping to be good as new in a few days."

"I hope that's true, Jacob. Bella needs it to be true."

"You really love her, don't you, Edward?" Jake asked a little abruptly.

"With my whole heart. I told her a while ago that I was going to marry her someday, and last week I bought the ring," Edward told him.

"Wow, and I'm sure she's excited about when that day comes. Our Silver Bells was made to be a wife and a mother. I know she loves nursing, but believe me, when you two start having a family you'll see the best in her shine through. She mothered us boys when we were all running around on the Reservation, and I think that'll be the hardest thing for all of us to deal with once you two get married. She's considered an honorary member of the tribe as are her parents, I can't imagine not seeing her at one of the bonfires." Edward watched the way Jake got a little misty-eyed at his memories of Bella, and he wanted to learn more about them, as well as put his mind at ease.

"I would have thought that the tribal bonfires would have been something that was for tribe members only?" Edward wondered aloud.

"Ones where tribal business are being discussed or certain ceremonies are performed, but it is opened up to certain friends from outside the tribe for celebrations and get-togethers. Bella was always with my sisters and my mom, trying to learn the traditions. I remember when Old Quil, the chief before my dad, died, she spent hours learning the mourning song so that she could do it right. Everybody cried when she sang it with the girls and from then on she was a part of every ceremony that wasn't for only tribe members."

Edward reached out to squeeze Jacob's forearm as he gave him a piece of good news. "You won't be missing her too much, because we're moving to Seattle when we make it stateside."

"But you have a job and family wherever you're from. Won't you be taking her to home with you?" Jake questioned him.

"My family isn't as close as all of you are and I'm not guaranteed to have a job when I get home. Bella has everything and everyone she loves in Washington, so I will find a job at a hospital in Seattle and she can keep working as long as she'd like to. We'll be close enough to travel home to Forks and see everyone there…we have a good life planned, we just need this ugliness to end so that we can start living it."

"I knew I was right when I wrote Charlie and told him that you were the right guy for Bella," Jacob told Edward through a yawn.

"You told her father that?" Edward was a little surprised to know that he was given such high praise.

"Sure. You obviously adore her, you worry about me not only as your patient, but because of how it will affect Bella, and you're a stand up man in general. Chief Swan will be plenty happy to see his girl with you."

"Well, Jacob, that's high praise coming from you, so thank you. But before I go off to grab some sack time, can you tell me how she got her nickname, because she won't tell me the story."

Jacob laughed in earnest before he shifted towards Edward. "Bella will kill me for this, but no secrets between spouses and all, so here it is. When Bella was little, she used to be so quiet and meek. I mean that girl could sneak up on you without even trying and scare the pants off of you. Well, after her father almost had a heart attack one time after she came creeping up on him while he was sleeping, he got her a little bracelet that had six tiny bells on it. She used to run around jingling everywhere she went, so we started calling her silver bells.

"When she went off to college, she took the bells off the bracelet and added one of them each to dream catchers that she had my mom make for us, so a part of her was helping to trap our bad dreams. It isn't a coincidence that her nickname hints at how precious she is, because even as kids we knew that we'd been given an old soul to watch over us in the form of our surrogate big sis."

"That's beautiful, Jacob, and I'm sure she'd love to hear how much she means to you. Now, I'm going to head out for a while, but we'll be back tonight."

"Goodnight, Sir." Jake saluted to a grinning Edward who went to get some sleep himself.

As midnight approached, they came in to find a slowly declining Lieutenant Black. Edward happily allowed Isabella to monitor his section of the ward and when she wasn't changing the dressings or tending to the other patients; she was at Jake's bedside.

They were on their second antibiotic, but nothing seemed to be helping. His breathing was declining and his urine output has decreased as well. The hours passed as he continued to deteriorate, and by six am, the signs of septic shock were present. Angela had stopped by to check on Jake out of concern for Bella and soon offered to work her section so she could stay with her friend. The rest of the ward was quiet, so Edward spent a good deal of his time perched on the other side of his bed.

"Bella, I'm sorry that I didn't bring up how I was feeling that first day. This could have been avoided if I'd just spoken up."

"No, Jake. This is a drug-resistant bacteria. We've tried a few medications and none of them have worked. There's nothing else that could have been done that we haven't tried," Bella reassured her little brother.

"I know you've done everything you can for me, Silver Bells. Don't doubt that. I guess the spirits have a greater need for me," Jake told her, bringing on the tears.

"We need you here, Jake, you can't give up."

"If I could stay, Bella, I would. But I don't think that's happening. At least I know you'll be well taken care of. Dr. Masen loves you, Bells, and I know you two will be real happy together."

"Jake…"

"Bella, is everything okay over here?" Edward asked as he approached the cot.

"Sorry, Captain, but I'm just making sure Bella knows how much I love her." Jake turned from Edward to Bella and squeezed her hand. "I know it'll be hard what with transport, but could you sing the mourning song and beat the drums that will start me on my journey to the spirits of my ancestors."

"I will make sure she's able to, Jake," Edward promised. "Bella, our shift is ending, so I'm going to grab us something to eat and come back here with it. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Okay," Bella whispered.

"Goodbye, Edward," Jacob said as he turned to get them some food.

It only took a few minutes for him to round up some grub, but by the time he returned to the ward, Jacob had made another turn for the worst.

"Has someone checked on him?" Edward asked as he sat down the tray and slid in beside Bella.

"Jasper just came back with his latest cultures and he's starting to go into organ failure. The infection was just too strong."

"Do you want to take a break? Or would you feel more comfortable staying here?" Edward asked.

"I want to stay with him," Bella told Edward as she gripped Jacob's hand a little tighter.

They sat by his side most of the day, various members of the staff stopping in to check on either Jacob or Bella, until finally his body gave up the fight. Having mentioned to Alice the request that Jacob had made, when they moved the body from the hospital until transport arrived, Edward had the drum for Bella to perform the ceremony.

With Sergeant McCarty present to act as the ceremonial guard protecting the body, Colonel Cullen, Major Hale, Major Whitlock, Lieutenants' Brandon and Webber were there to offer their condolences as Bella sang the mourning song and played the drum. The Chaplin offered a quick prayer, and then the crowd thinned so that Bella could have some time to say her goodbye.

When the transport vehicle arrived to collect Jacob's body, Bella stayed inside the morgue, unable to watch them take him away.

The Colonel gave Isabella a few days off to try and process the loss she'd suffered, but it wasn't doing much to help her. Edward became worried as she ate little and cried herself to sleep from what he'd heard from her tent mates. It was impossible to watch her suffer as she did, but what worried him even more was how quickly she seemed to shut it off when it was time to return to duty.

As the wounded came in, Captain Swan did her job, but she was a little withdrawn as she did so. When the shift ended, Edward decided that a trip to the bar down the road might be just what the doctor ordered.

Edward rounded up Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, Alice, and Angela to go out with them and the group secured a pair of tables to enjoy their drinks. The group joked and carried on, but they all noticed that Bella seemed to be withdrawn, but only Emmett was brave enough to ask her about it.

"Captain Swan, you don't seem to be enjoying yourself tonight. I know after the lost you've suffered it must be hard, but you can't hold it in."

"How many times have I told you, Emmett, you can call me Bella. And it's not that I'm holding it in, I'm just watching you all interact. Jake was like my little brother, and you all are like my family here. It's terrifying to think about the fact that my childhood friends are in such danger, but the thought of losing any of you…I'm just savoring every moment I have with each of you. Tomorrow isn't promised to any of us, but I'm going to stand beside you all until the day we leave this place."

Rosalie slid in behind Bella and hugged her around the shoulders. "Cappy, I love when you get sentimental, but now is not the time. Tie one on like the rest of us and forget for an evening. Everything will still be there in the morning, but you need to cut loose. Drag your man for a turn out on the floor."

Bella laughed and did as her friend asked, dancing with Edward to the odd mix of music from the forties and random Asian pop songs that the US soldiers didn't recognize. The group continued to carry on as they made their way back to camp, Edward pulling Bella a little closer as they walked.

"You're really okay?" he asked.

"Yes," she told him. "I miss him terribly, and it's sad to think about him and my family back home, but we're doing important work here and there is so much more to do. Plus, it keeps me close to you."

"That makes me happy; I've been worried about you this past week, Bella. You started to become your old self, but I didn't want you to internalize it."

"Thank you for looking out for me, Edward. And for organizing this little outing. It was fun to go out with the gang, but we have a shift tomorrow and then Eric got in a new movie that I want to watch."

"That sounds like a lovely idea," Edward told her.

He wasn't sure she remembered that tomorrow was his birthday, but with the month she'd had, he wasn't going to begrudge her for letting it slip her mind.

The morning brought in a round of wounded that kept the staff busy until well into the afternoon. Edward kept an eye on Bella as always, but noticed no problems, even as she worked on a belly wound.

The movie had been held until after the surgeries were complete, so Edward happily led Bella to the Mess Tent for the showing of _The Farmer's Daughter._

As they watched the movie, Edward focused on the beauty beside him, happy that she was finding a way to deal with her grief. Besides the friends he'd made in Korea, Edward wasn't too close to a lot of people, which was a product of the focus he had to have to get to this point in his career. It was the reason he was happy to relocate to Seattle and had begun the process by writing a few important letters back home. His mother was sad to learn that her son was planning this, but she had agreed to help his high school friend as he tried to sell his house while he was still in Korea. This was something Edward was trying to get started for when they returned stateside, and he was excited to hear her reaction to his plans once they were more developed.

The movie came to an end, but instead of going back towards her tent for the night, Bella led Edward towards the Supply Tent.

"Darling, what are you doing?"

"Edward Anthony Masen, did you honestly believe that I forgot your birthday?" Bella asked with a smirk as she brought him inside.

"You've had a lot going on, Bella, and I wouldn't have blamed you. But now that you seem to have a little plan in your head, what did you get me?" Edward teased as she walked towards the back of the building.

"Always so eager. But since we don't have enough time for what I know you're thinking of, let me just give you your present." Tucked among the various medical supplies, Isabella pulled out a small box and handed it to Edward. He tore off the lid and pulled out the small case.

"Bella, this is perfect," Edward responded as he looked down at the travel photo frame. The green case with the brass trim, hinges, and closure opened to reveal two oval frames that a picture could be placed in simply by lifting the leather inlay and placing it beneath. In the left frame was a picture of Bella that had to have been taken recently. "When was this photo taken?"

"Alice took it a few days ago. She has that Kodak Pony 135 camera that she brought from home," Bella explained.

"Well, we may have to borrow that to take a few more pictures," Edward whispered against the skin of her neck as he tried to distract her into staying in their little hideaway.

"Edward, I will warn you, we can only go so far as we are expected elsewhere soon."

"Call and cancel the plans, darling." Edward continued to kiss and lick his way down the front of her uniform.

"Please, Edward, I put a lot of effort into this birthday party. We even have cake," she told him, hoping sweets would lure him from the promised land he was inching towards.

"I can't callously ruin something you spent this much time organizing. Let's go and see what you have planned for my birthday celebration."

After collecting his gift from where he'd sat it down, the couple walked out into the compound and back to his tent, he was confused until he opened the door and saw all of their friends there.

"Happy Birthday, Edward!"

For the next few hours the group joked around about everything and nothing, letting the chance to celebrate one of their own for something as simple as making it another year in the hell they all endured be enough. Alice took plenty of pictures, giving both Edward and Bella plenty of memories of the night, including a shot of Edward that was developed and placed into her matching travel frame. Along with her camera, Alice had bought supplies needed to turn the x-ray darkroom into one for her photos when she had the time to take them and didn't want to have to mail them out to be developed and she promised to do that for her friends on the next free day she had.

All in all it was a wonderful birthday for Edward and a pleasant end to what had been a very rough few weeks.


	9. The Woman in White

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Story is rated M for language, and lemons.

There are a few things in this chapter that I cannot even begin to know about, mainly with regards to so please suspend your disbelief with me. Thank you.

Chapter 9 – The Woman in White

The two weeks following Edward's birthday were as normal as things could be at the 8076, long stretches in the OR, wounded coming and going at numbers that never seemed to dwindle. Yet as the mail was sorted on July 4th, there was a different declaration of independence about to be delivered.

Edward and Jasper were in the Mess Tent waiting for the girls to join them for breakfast when Corporal Yorkie entered with his mail sack and a small stack of letters in his hand. "Good morning, Sirs, I've got your mail."

Eric handed both men their letters and Edward looked through the stack until he noticed an official looking envelope.

"What's that?" Jasper asked as he put down his own mail to watch Edward open his letter from I-Corps.

"They're my papers," Edward said as he stared down at them. "I'm going home."

"You're what?" Bella gasped from behind him.

"I got my points between commendations and time in combat and I'm being discharged. My replacement will be here in six days and then I'm on a transport flight back to the states."

Edward watched in horror as Bella sprinted from the Mess Tent, but Alice promised to catch up with her. Taking the opportunity, Dr. Masen went to the Colonel's office to speak to him about his plans.

"Colonel, did you know that I was being shipped out?" Edward asked as he got into the office.

"I got my copy of your paperwork in the mail this morning too. Are you here to discuss your Captain?" Carlisle asked.

"I want to marry her, Colonel, but I'm not sure how to do that."

"That I can handle," Carlisle told him. "The Army has forms for this, just like they have forms for everything else, so we just submit the paperwork and then do the blood test. Both of you being American citizens will speed this along but we better get it out in today's mail. I'll put a call in to I-Corps so they know its coming. You just go to the Chaplin and take care of the ceremony."

Edward rushed out of the office, knowing that Bella would likely be in either Major Hale's tent or her own, so he stopped by the Major's first. "Major, have you seen Bella?"

"She's here, Captain, and in quite a state," Rosalie said as she opened the door.

"Bella, I just left the Colonel's office and he's busy having Corporal Yorkie fill out the various forms, so after we do the blood test, we'll be all set to get married before I get shipped home."

"We're going to get married here?" Bella asked.

"Of course, darling, I told you that if one of us got discharged we'd get married here, and I meant it. You do want to marry me, right?" Edward was now the unsure one as Bella crossed quickly to his side.

"Yes, silly, now we should go find someone to run the blood test." Bella's excitement had the room buzzing and soon they were sitting in the lab while Jasper did their blood work.

"Okay, I'll run the test and then fill out the paperwork so it can go off to I-Corps with all of the things the Corporal was typing up while I was in there getting these sheets."

"Thank you, Jasper," Bella said as she hugged him.

"You're welcome, Captain. Now go take care of the rest of the planning." Jasper sent them off so that he could complete his work.

Walking into the Colonel's office, they found him on the phone with I-Corps. "Yes, that's correct. Yes, yes, that will do just fine. The last of the forms is being filled out and the blood test is being run at this very moment. You're right; it is nice to do some positive work for a change. I understand, very well. I will talk to you soon. Good-bye."

"How is my favorite couple?" Dr. Cullen asked as Bella blushed, knowing her question was going to be emotional.

"Well, we've been discussing the ceremony, and I'd like it if you would give me away, Colonel," Bella said.

"I'd be honored," he replied before looking back down to his desk. "I have a little more news for you. I-Corps is aware of your request and they'll have everything back in a day or two, and once the signed marriage licenses are back all of the paperwork will be sent to Washington to update your records. You'll both have copies of your marriage licenses and Bella; your new dog tags should arrive in a few weeks once the paperwork is processed stateside. Oh, and one more thing. Edward, you won't be leaving on the tenth."

"I won't?" Edward asked, confused.

"Nope. You were due to leave at dawn on the tenth, but you'll only be going as far as Seoul for a two day honeymoon with your new bride before she is needed back here. Once he's done with your wedding paperwork, the Corporal will make your travel arrangements for you."

"Thank you, Colonel," Edward said as he hugged the man who was like a father to him.

"You're very welcome. I'm happy to give you this little bit of time together."

Before they could say anymore, the call for incoming wounded interrupted the conversation. While the surgeons treated their patients, Corporal Yorkie got the paperwork for the marriage license off to the required office.

During a brief lull, Dr. Masen gave a note to the Corporal, who then went to handle another important piece of wedding business.

Every moment that wasn't spent in the hospital was dealing with some aspect of the wedding, whether it was the Mess working on the food they would be making or procuring what was needed for the cake, or it was the girls getting Bella's dress just right. Though as the Corporal found Captain Masen to deliver the news he'd been waiting for, he was determined to find Isabella.

"Can I come in?" Edward asked as he knocked on Rosalie's tent door.

"One moment," Alice called before the sound of shuffling filtered through the door. The door finally opened to reveal Bella once again in her uniform, but with what he had to say, he was happy to not have the distraction.

"I just got this wire, love, and I wanted to share it with you." Edward handed Bella the paper as she read it out loud.

"Dear Dr. Masen, stop. Congratulations are in order. Stop. To answer your question, I heartily give my consent to the man who has shown himself worthy of my daughter. Stop. You are welcome to stay with my wife and I until you are settled. Stop. Safe journey. Stop. Chief Charles Swan. Stop." Bella looked up at Edward before her eyes fell back to the telegram. "You sent my father a wire to ask for his consent?"

"I won't get to meet him before the wedding, but I didn't want to take away his ability to wish us well. This is important for both him and for you," Edward explained.

"I love you, Edward," Bella whispered.

"I love you too, Bella."

Over the next few days, the couple gave each other all the information they needed. Edward called his bank from Korea and had them add Bella to his accounts, which would be official as soon as he presented their marriage license upon his return to Chicago. Said licenses had arrived and all the paperwork was on its way to Washington to be finalized. With only one last night before the wedding, the couple only had to prepare for their evening ceremony the following day.

Of course, the North Koreans had to have a say, so the ceremony was being delayed by the latest round of wounded. As Dr. Masen tended to his last patients as a Captain in the US Army, he watched his fiancé move, knowing he would soon be missing moments like this. When the wounded were finally all cared for, Dr. King went on to cover Post-Op while those who wished to be in attendance for the wedding went to get changed and fill the Mess Tent.

The food lined the far wall while the Chaplin set up the last of the items near the front of the building. Edward walked into the Mess and met Jasper up by the makeshift altar. Those who were attending the wedding milled around inside for a few moments before Alice opened the door and cleared her throat to get everyone's attention. Everyone settled into the benches and Alice entered first, walking down the aisle to stand opposite Edward and Jasper before the entire Mess Tent turned to see Bella walk in with the Colonel.

Edward gasped at the sight of Bella in her beautiful white dress. The full skirt fell in tiers of lace, which rose over the bodice of the dress and down her arms in delicate sleeves. As she walked on the Colonel's arm he first wondered how he was so lucky to have this angel in his life, and secondly when she managed to get that dress.

When she stood before him, Edward reached out to shake the Colonel's hand before taking Bella's and leading her the few steps to the altar where the Chaplin waited for them.

Motioning for everyone to be seated, the Chaplin began the service. "It is a sign of God's work in all things that two people such as our dear Captains could find one another in the midst of such death and destruction. Two paths, that would have never crossed were it not for the war that brought them to Korea, join today to create one life. We are gathered here this evening to bear witness to the miracle that is true love and devotion.

"If there is any man or woman here who believes these two should not be joined, speak now or forever hold your peace." The Chaplin waited a beat before continuing the ceremony.

"Do you, Edward Anthony Masen, take this woman, Isabella Marie Swan, to be your lawfully wedded wife, your constant friend, your faithful partner and your love from this day forward? In the presence of God and friends, do you offer your solemn vow to be a faithful partner in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow. Do you promise to love her unconditionally, to support her in her goals, to honor and respect her, to laugh with her and cry with her, and to cherish her for as long as you both shall live? "

"I do," Edward responded clearly.

The Chaplin turned to Isabella and asked her the same questions.

"I do," Isabella whispered.

The Chaplin gestured for the Maid of Honor and Best Man to give the couple their rings. "Wedding rings are made precious by our wearing them. Your rings say that even in your uniqueness you have chosen to be bound together. Let these rings also be a sign that love has substance as well as soul. A present as well as a past, and that, despite its occasional sorrows, love is a circle of happiness, wonder, and delight. May these rings remind you always of the vows you have taken here today."

Edward held out his hand and waited for Bella to place her hand in his so he could place the ring upon her finger. "I give you this ring, as I give to you all that I am, and accept from you, all that you are."

Once her ring was in place, Bella repeated the gesture. "I give you this ring, as I give to you all that I am, and accept from you, all that you are."

The Chaplin ended the ceremony by speaking the traditional closing line. "By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife; you may kiss your bride."

Edward leaned in to kiss Bella, causing the Mess Tent to erupt into cheers. For the next few hours the couple ate and danced with their friends, savoring their last moments together at the unit that brought them together. When time came for them to retire, Isabella led Edward to the VIP tent, which had been made up for the couple.

Edward was completely packed for his trip home, with Bella's bags sitting beside his duffle bag inside the room. For a few moments, they simply stood there staring at each other before Edward put the hook through the eye, effectively locking the tent door before he started to strip out of his dress uniform. With some assistance, Bella was able to slip out of her dress and Edward lifted her off the floor and carried her to the bed.

"Bella, my wife, I love you so much."

"I love you too, Edward. Make love to me."

"With pleasure."

Edward's fingers traced the lines of her bra before his fingers found the clasps on the back. He continued to move down her body until she was completely nude beneath him. Meeting her eyes, she nodded, remembering what they'd discussed during their time in Tokyo.

"If you want me to stop, all you have to do is say the word," Edward told her as he positioned himself between her legs.

Keeping his left hand focused on her breasts, Edward's right hand ghosted over his wife's sex, finding her clit and gently brushing it. Her gentle gasps let him know that she enjoyed that first touch so he let his fingers play with the tiny bundle of nerves until she let out a moan. Satisfied that she was into his attentions, he lowered his mouth to her flesh and licked one long stroke before his tongue replaced his finger on her clit as his finger made its way to her opening and slid inside.

"Oh, Edward," Bella called softly as he added a second finger, his own body reacting to her sounds but he held back, determined to give her this pleasure first.

Edward's fingers and mouth worked together to drive Bella to the brink and as she soared through her bliss; Edward removed his boxers and crawled up her body. "Two days won't be nearly enough, but I'm going to savor every moment I have with you."

Entering her, their first time together as man and wife was gentle and loving. They fell asleep in one another's arms and it was only the knock from Corporal Yorkie that woke them the next morning.

"Captains, we have to head out in thirty minutes if I'm going to meet Edward's replacement at the airport."

Mr. and Mrs. Masen got themselves put together and then headed over for a quick breakfast. Many of the people in the Mess came over to wish Edward a safe journey and the best of luck back in the states. With their meal over, they found their closest friends waiting by the Jeep waiting to take them to Seoul.

"Edward, safe journey," Jasper told him as he embraced his best friend.

"Thank you and you all be sure to take care of my girl. I'm entrusting her to you." Edward looked to the men, who all took the responsibility very seriously.

With a final round of hugs, the trio climbed into the Jeep and started the two and a half hour drive to Seoul. Bella and Edward sat in the back seat dozing off for the first part of the drive, but as the craters in the road grew worse, they were jostled awake.

"Sorry, Sir, Ma'am, this road has more potholes than dirt," Corporal Yorkie called out.

It took another hour of riding rough before they pulled up outside the Water Lily Hotel.

"I'm going to leave you here and then drive up the road to the airport to pick up Captain Stoker," Corporal Yorkie told the couple before he turned to Edward. "Captain, it's been an honor to serve with you."

Edward returned the young man's salute and then extended his hand. "Eric, I've had the pleasure of watching you grow from a confused boy thrown into a position you didn't understand, to a young man I'd be proud to have handling my business. I expect great things from you, Corporal."

"Yes, Sir. Ma'am, I'll see you back at the 8076 on the twelfth."

"Bye, Corporal," Bella said as they gathered their bags and walked into the lobby of the hotel.

They were checked in and unpacking when Edward found the camera that Alice had lent them. "We better take all of our pictures today, that way we have a chance to get them developed tomorrow so both of us can take our copies," Edward suggested.

That was how their day of sightseeing began, with walks through the garden at the hotel and breakfast at an Americanized restaurant. They explored the things that Seoul had to offer, taking as many pictures as possible before making it back to their room after a late dinner. While Bella relaxed on their bed, Edward was suddenly hit with an idea.

"Bella, love, would you mind if I took a few pictures of you for my time apart from you?"

"Of course not, Edward, that's what we've spent today doing," she told him, confused by what he was asking.

"I was hoping to take more private pictures," he said, immediately adding, "nothing too risqué, but tasteful pin up style photos."

"Can I have a few pictures of you for my time back at the MASH?" Bella asked, her blush already staining her cheeks and chest.

"Absolutely," he said as he held up the camera. Bella settled herself on the bed, sprawled out on her stomach as Edward snapped the first picture.

From there he took a couple more of her posing before they began to have a bit of fun. Knowing Edward would never disrespect her by showing the pictures to another person; she stripped out of her clothes and let him take a few of her in the lingerie she'd purchased for their honeymoon. His personal favorite was one of the longer dresses because of the long slit it had up her leg, but the short frilly one did amazing things for her cleavage. Bella took a few pictures of Edward with his undershirt on and bare-chested, leaving a final picture for what she had planned.

Slipping into the bathroom, she emerged in nothing but a pair of panties and one of his dress shirts. The strangled moan that she heard from across the room let her know that Edward liked what he saw.

"Lean against the door frame, baby?" Edward asked as he went to fetch the camera. Snapping the last picture, Edward took the film out and tucked the roll with the others they'd taken.

Edward enjoyed divesting Bella of his shirt before they spent most of the night awake and savoring their time together.

Waking up early, Edward went straight to the shop that sold film, picking up a few rolls to replace what they'd used from Alice's stock and dropping off the film to be developed. The young Korean man understood the urgency with which the pictures needed to be done and promised that he would have them ready by five pm. Ordering room service to be sent up on his way back upstairs, the Captain found his beautiful bride still sleeping.

Edward sat on the edge of the bed and just watched her as she slept, pleased to hear his name on her lips a few times. The knock on the door from room service roused her and Edward allowed the young woman in long enough to deliver the food and then showed her out.

"How long have you been awake?" Bella asked as she climbed out of bed and put on one of the sexy nightgowns she had worn for the pictures last night.

"An hour? I went down to drop off the film and then ordered our food."

"Is it horrible if I asked to stay in today?" Bella's question brought a smile to Edward's face.

"Not at all, my beautiful wife. I would love nothing more than to part with our bed only long enough to eat and pick up our film this evening."

"Good, because I wish to spend every moment with you until you board that plane."

Edward could see the sorrow in his love's eyes as he led her to the table and knelt before her as she sat down. "We will make it through, Bella. The two weeks between letters will be rough, but we can manage it well enough. Just remember that this war won't last forever and when you come home it will be to a home I've made for us."

"Can we talk about what you'll do when you get back home?" Bella asked as she gestured to the food that was waiting for them.

Edward settled in beside her and then began to tell her his plans. "Well, my friend who is in the real estate business has actually called me to say that someone is interested in my home in Chicago. He has accepted the offer on my behalf and is beginning the paperwork. I'll arrive home in enough time to pack my belongings and oversee the sale of my house. I no longer have a position waiting for me at Mercy, so I will simply wrap up my life there, say good-bye to my mother and then make the long drive to Seattle with my belongings.

"From there, I will begin looking for both a house for us to live in and a job. With all of the hospitals in the area I don't believe that will be too difficult, but I hope to have that matter handled sooner rather than later. Though, of course, I will make the trip to La Push to convey our condolences in person, as well as visit your friends."

"You will send me pictures once you find a house? I would dearly love to see what you pick out for us." Isabella's enthusiasm overshadowed her sadness for the time being.

"Yes, Darling. But I would like your opinion of the type of home you would like, so I know what you would pick if you were with me."

The conversation continued well after breakfast as they discussed knotty pine and the pros and cons of ranch style verses multi-story houses.

Lunch and dinner were ordered from room service as well, with Edward ducking out only long enough to pick up their pictures. Over dinner, they separated the photos and packed away their halves, placing a copy of their wedding pictures into their frames.

They packed their bags and showered before turning in early, Bella's silence weighing on Edward.

"Darling?"

"I keep wishing that I could go home with you, but I know that in the morning I will have to let you go."

"Leaving tomorrow morning will be the hardest thing I will ever have to do," Edward confided in her. "It goes against the grain to leave this place without you, knowing that there is danger in the brush and overhead. But it will be a short time in the scheme of things, and the distance will only add to my love for you."

Falling together, Edward sank into his wife, joining them once again. The desperation of the moment fueled their loving as Edward thrust into her harder and deeper, every sound and movement Bella made driving him forward.

The feel of her surrounding him, the way her legs wrapped around his body and pulled him closer, the look in her eyes as he hit a new place within her was too much for him. The wonder of that expanse of time led to a higher peak, sending them free-falling from a height they'd never known.

As they fell asleep wrapped around one another, the final hours of their honeymoon faded with the moonlight.

The morning of the twelfth started far too early for the Masens as the put the last of their things into their suitcases and piled into a rickshaw to take them to Kimpo Airport. It was just before five am when they walked up to the Army clerk to check on their flights.

"Let me see, I have an order for a chopper to take a Captain Masen to a MASH 8076, and another order for a Captain Masen on a flight to Tokyo before jumping to Honolulu, San Francisco, and then Chicago. Is this some type of foul up?" the man asked.

"No, there isn't," Bella said. "My husband got his points so he's heading home, while I'm returning to our old unit."

"Oh, well, the chopper is just going through its final checks and then you'll be all set, and Mr. Captain Masen, your plane just unloaded so they're going to refuel and then you'll be on your way back to civilization. If you two will just sign in and show me your IDs and travel papers, we'll get you on your way."

Once the paperwork was done, Edward pulled Bella into his arms and held her tight. "Remember how this feels, my love, because I don't want a day to go by that you don't know what it feels like to be in my arms. I love you, Bella, and I will be there at the terminal the moment you arrive home."

With tears in her eyes, Bella stood on her toes to kiss Edward, whispering to him, "My heart is yours now, Edward, please take care of it."

"I will, darling. Be safe."

Just then the clerk called Bella's name and Edward walked her out onto the tarmac and handed her bags to the pilot. When her bags were stowed, he helped her to climb in and then kissed her one last time before they started to take off.

"I love you, Edward," she called over the noise of the chopper.

"I love you, Isabella Masen," he responded, memorizing the brilliant smile that graced her lips.

As the chopper flew farther out of sight, the clerk came out to find the Captain. "Sir, your flight is ready."

"Thank you." Edward took his three bags and walked over to his plane, boarding it so that he could say goodbye to Korea and begin the long journey home.


	10. Beginning a New Life

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Story is rated M for language, and lemons.

I'm working on chapter 13 right now, so as I get them back from my very busy beta, I will continue to post. Thank you all for continuing to support this story.

This is the first chapter that will not deal with anything in Korea. As we jump back and forth between Edward and Bella, most chapters will feature both of them, while others will remain with the one character. Also, I have no idea how medical practices worked in the 1950's, so I'm trying to piece together as best as I can using modern info and what I've found online as far as historical details.

Chapter 10 – Beginning a New Life

Time held little meaning for Edward as he finally arrived in Chicago. Twenty-three hours of travel on four separate flights had him hopping around the Pacific, crossing the international dateline only to catch back up to the date he left Korea before it was over. The army planes were cold, and the last leg of the trip had been a crowded flight, but Edward was happy to be on solid ground.

"Edward!"

The former Captain looked up to see his mother running towards him. "Hello, Mother."

"Oh my word, look at you. You're nearly skin and bones, Son. I know we won't have much time, but I need you to tell me more about this delightful girl you are seeing." Edward's mother took his hand as they went to collect his baggage so they could drive back to his home.

"I'm sorry that the letter didn't arrive before I did, but my wife is a vision of virtue and perfection and if you give me a moment I will show you her photograph." Edward pulled the frame from his knapsack and handed it to his mother.

"Oh, Edward, she's lovely. Is that from your wedding?" She pointed to the picture of the two of them and Edward nodded.

"We were married on July 9th and had two days to celebrate together before she had to return to the MASH. It took the heart from me to watch her board that chopper, but there was nothing to be done."

"Well, we will have to just work hard to get you ready to move to Seattle. The sooner you are near the places she's been and surrounded by her family and friends the distance will be easier to bear."

"Thank you for understanding my need to move out there, Mother," Edward said as he pulled her aside.

"You need to follow your heart, and it isn't so bad. It's only twenty dollars for a train ticket so I can come and meet my daughter-in-law."

"Let's get on the road, Mother. I would just like to get home and get some real sleep before I begin to deal with everything that is coming in the next few weeks."

Allowing his mother to take him out to a restaurant on their way home, Edward fell quickly into his unfamiliar bed once he got back to his house. The jetlag allowed him to find rest that first night, though waking up the next morning was tougher.

Benjamin made himself available to Edward when he stopped by the office, setting out to explain everything to him.

"It is good to see you home, Edward. And I believe we will be able to settle things in a timely fashion." Benjamin said as he offered Edward a cup of coffee.

"That is excellent news. I will be taking very little with me, so with the exception of a few things, I can either sell them the house furnished or sell the items separately," Edward explained.

"They're interested in buying the house furnished, so we can do a walkthrough and anything that will be making the trip with you can be pointed out to them and a price including the furniture can be made. From there it is simply a matter of the paperwork."

Shaking hands after they had a chance to catch up, Edward gave Benjamin the okay to arrange the meeting with the buyers and get the ball rolling. Knowing that he needed a car, Edward took a bus to the car dealership on the way to his house and began browsing.

One car in particular caught his eye as he entered the lot, but he looked around at a few others before the salesman approached him.

"Good morning, Sir. You seem to be interested in that Chrysler New Yorker over there. I have to say that you have excellent taste, as that is a very popular car. If you'd like we can take a test drive and see how it feels to be behind the wheel."

Edward knew that the moment he got behind the wheel it would be over, but as this was his second Chrysler, he knew it would be a good purchase. "I'd love to take it for a spin. I owned a Chrysler before I left for Korea and I'm looking to replace it now that I'm back."

It was a short drive for the two men, but Edward knew what he was doing. Using some of his inheritance, which had been sitting in a bank collecting interest much of the last decade, Edward filled out the paperwork and then went to the bank to have a bank check printed for the full $1670 price of the car.

With the check in the salesman's hands, Edward drove off in his brand new black Chrysler New Yorker. From there he went to the military office downtown to take care of his paperwork. He had his discharge handled and the $6300 in military script he'd saved up in his two years in Korea exchanged for real money. Once his records were updated, he made another trip to the bank, depositing the money and providing the bank manager with the documentation to have Bella added to the bank account.

His first day set a pattern for him over the next few weeks. Edward would spend his morning handling various business, adding Bella to various aspects of his life, including his will. Afternoons were often spent with his mother, enjoying her company while he was still in Chicago, but finding that the city held little draw for him.

Once the young couple interested in his house made the revised offer, Edward urged Benjamin to proceed and then Edward moved onto the task of packing up his belongings.

With his mother beside him, Edward boxed up his books, keepsakes, and other important items, knowing the room in his car and the U-Haul trailer he would rent would be limited on space. He had yet to see his father since he returned home, but that was more his father's doing than his own.

Every day was chronicled in letters to Bella, which he sent off knowing that her letters would be waiting for him upon his arrival in Forks. It was surprising to Edward just how little he had to take with him in the long run, but on the day that he signed the sale paperwork and rented his U-Haul trailer, he was glad to be able to squeeze everything inside.

On his final night in Chicago, Edward drove his New Yorker to his parents' house and was only mildly surprised to see his father's car absent from the driveway.

"Edward, I can't believe you're leaving already," his mother cried as she pulled him into the house.

"Mother, please don't start crying now, because you will have no tears left in the morning when I drive away." Edward could smell the dinner that Tina had prepared, so he followed her into the formal dining room and took the seat beside her. "Just remember that you will have a place to stay whenever you make the journey to Seattle."

"Once your wife returns you won't want your mother underfoot," his mother commented, but Edward squeezed her hand.

"Elizabeth Masen doesn't have it in her to be underfoot, and I'm sure Bella will want you up to visit your grandchildren." Elizabeth was a little shocked by her son's declaration, but the idea of still having a place in his life was too good to pass up. "Father's staying at the office?"

Elizabeth recognized the hurt in her son's voice, and tried to assuage it. "Work is very hectic for him now, and-"

"Mom, really, you don't have to make excuses for the man, I understand. Now, I can smell Tina's meatloaf so we better go and start dinner." Edward led his mother into the dining room where the meal was already waiting on the table.

Over the course of the meal, Edward mapped out his trip for his mother, explaining the stops he had planned along the way so he wouldn't get too tired on the long drive. Elizabeth was relieved to hear about his plans, but it didn't alleviate her worry completely. Today she was watching her only son prepare to move halfway across the country, and her instincts told her to hold onto him for as long as she could.

Elizabeth had helped Edward buy the house that he had just moved out of, and his new home wouldn't need her touches because he was buying it with his new wife in mind. Edward was excited when his mother asked if she could write to Bella, wanting to get to know her better, but made her swear not to tell her any stories that would be too embarrassing for him. With the promise made, the pair turned in for the night.

The following morning, Elizabeth was up with the sun making breakfast for her son so he would start his trip on a good note. When Edward came downstairs he smiled at the memory of his mother cooking breakfast for him before school. The meal was eaten far too fast for either one of them, but there was no more delaying their goodbye.

"I'll call you when I get to the Swan's house in Washington," he told her as they walked outside.

"Make sure you call collect, I'll be waiting right here to accept the charges," she responded.

Pulling her into his arms, he took a deep breath, committing her perfume to memory. "Goodbye, Mother."

"Goodbye, Edward," she whispered, kissing his cheek before she released him.

Edward sat his bag on the seat beside him and turned on his car, giving it a moment to start up before he pulled out of the driveway, waving to his mom until he turned the corner.

That turn started three days of driving through Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, and finally Washington. Edward saw more of the country than he ever had before, and he made a promise to himself to take a road trip like that with Bella someday, so she could appreciate it too.

The final miles seemed to stretch out before Edward, but as he saw the 'Welcome to Forks' sign, he smiled, knowing that he was home. Edward got a little turned around trying to find the street that his in-laws lived on, but lucky for him, everyone knew where their Chief lived.

It was just after dinner time when Edward pulled in on the gravel drive, making sure to pull in far enough so that his trailer was safely off the road. The door opened as he climbed out, a middle-aged woman clad in an apron came jogging down the steps.

"Edward? Oh goodness, it's so good to finally meet you." Bella's mother threw her arms around his neck as he bent down to embrace his mother-in-law.

"Mrs. Swan, it's so nice to finally meet you," Edward began, but Mrs. Swan quickly pulled back.

"It's Renee to you, Son; now let's get you settled inside so we can let you eat some dinner. I have a plate waiting in the warming rack."

"Well, thank you, Renee, but if you don't mind, I need to call my mother while you're heating up my dinner. She'll be worried sick until she hears from me." Edward informed Renee as he locked up his car and entered the house with her.

"That's fine. Charlie will be home late tonight, so you'll meet him at breakfast, but I can show you to Bella's old room and then you can make that call."

Walking into Bella's childhood bedroom was an odd experience for Edward. So much of her early life was chronicled along those walls, and it made missing her a little easier. Once he had his things unpacked, he picked up the phone to let his mother know he'd arrived safe and sound.

It was a short call, and soon Edward found himself downstairs sitting across from Renee as he ate her casserole.

"I hope you don't mind, but there's an area in northeast Seattle that has a lot of new building. They've expanded one of the neighborhoods and the houses are just about to come on the market. We went to do a little scouting for you, and while there were lovely homes that were up for sale, I have a feeling that you'll like these new homes much more. These are houses you can grow into. Some of them have as many as four bedrooms."

Edward smirked at his mother-in-law's enthusiasm and told her that he'd be happy to look at the houses she thought that Bella and he would both like. Truth be told, he wanted someone who really knew Bella to help him find a home for them.

"Renee, I don't mean to brush you off, but have I received any letters for me from Bella? I had asked her to send my mail here until I find a place for us and I was hoping to have at least one waiting for me in the past month." He tried to hold in his hope, but the smile on Renee's face gave him a little confidence.

"I honestly think that she began writing the minute she landed back from your honeymoon because there are fourteen letters sitting on her old desk in the room you're staying in. Enjoy the letters from her and I will see you in the morning." With that, Renee dismissed him, going about her own nightly routine.

Taking the stairs two at a time, he found his bounty sitting on the desk just as Renee said he would. Seeing the numbers on the back of the envelope, Edward arranged them in order and then opened the first one.

_July 12, 1952_

_My Dearest Edward,_

_Getting on that chopper was one of the most difficult things I have ever done, but the memory of our time together in Korea, and more importantly, our days in Seoul will be what carries me through to the day that I am returned to you. _

_It seems so foreign an idea that I will have to wait weeks before these letters arrive in the US and then the additional delay of your arrival in Forks. I hope that the trip was not too arduous. _

_Please convey my sympathies to Billy and the girls when you see them, and do include them in helping you find a house. If we leave it to my mother, she will say something is my favorite simply because it has enough rooms to house the army of grandchildren she has already planned for us. It is my fervent wish that we will have news on it sooner rather than later, but it is merely the wishful thinking of a lonely heart._

_I cannot wait to receive your first letters after you are able to read what I will be sending in the coming days, because it will make the distance more bearable. Please know that I love you and every spare moment that I have will be spent putting pen to paper. Jasper and Alice wanted me to send their regards, as do the Colonel and Major Hale. I will write again tomorrow._

_Yours,_

_Isabella Masen_

Unable to contain his smile, he pulled out the second letter and read its contents. That letter, as well as the next few were all along the same vein, but her sixth letter was the first to truly upset him.

_July 18, 1952_

_Dear Edward,_

_I have not made much mention as of yet about the doctor that replaced you, but let me tell you now that he is the single most infuriating man I have ever met! And that is saying something considering the fact that I've worked beside Royce King for a year._

_Major James Stoker is a pompous, egomaniac who is constantly trying to build his image in the minds of others to match his own self-perception. _

_From the moment I returned, he acted as though I was someone he could dictate to, so when I informed him that I was the ranking nurse below Major Hale, a Captain in my own right, and a happily married woman, he saw his way into my service so that he could attempt to convince me that a night with him would make me forget the chump I had back home._

_As if I would be interested in the cad even without the love of my life starting to build a life for us back in the States._

_The number of complaints against him in the past week is unprecedented, and I have a feeling that Carlisle will attempt to have him transferred if it is possible. I can only hope that he will cool his jets and realize that he is not winning anyone over with his actions._

_Well, my love, I've had a long day, and I want this letter to make the mail, so I will send it out now. It is moments like this that I am glad that Corporal Yorkie has his daily reports to get out, because it means that mail will go out on the same chopper to Seoul. Until my next letter._

_Yours,_

_Isabella Masen_

Edward had never wanted to throttle someone as bad as he did the jackass that was harassing his wife. He couldn't believe his gall, that he would think that their marriage was simply a challenge that he could overcome. Edward thought that James Stoker better hope that he never met him in the future, because it would be a short encounter.

The last few letters were her recounting daily events, except the very last one, which brought a smile to his face again.

_July 22, 1952_

_Dear Edward,_

_After thinking about the letter I sent you a few days ago in reference to the new Major, I realized that it wasn't fair of me to write that letter to you._

_Although he is still a loathsome man, he is not nearly as unbearable as I made him sound and he has not done anything to cross a line beyond his comments, which are quickly beaten back with a reminder of where he is._

_But to burden you with that when you are so far away and unable to defend my honor, as I know you would if we were together, is not fair. My only hope is that these letters beat you to Washington so that you will not have to wait for news, fearing the worst._

_Another long stretch in the ER reminds me of the night Jacob was brought in. I hope you are able to make the visit to the Reservation after you arrive at my parents. It will do me good to know that you'll be paying our respects to the family. _

_I hate to cut this note so short, but if I do not send this now it will still be here in the morning when I wake up from the exhaustion that is about to claim me. I'm anxious to see pictures once you begin to look for our home, but do remember to find something that will be able to accommodate your practice someday._

_I'm off to dream of you, my love, so I will not say goodbye, only see you soon._

_Yours, _

_Isabella Masen_

Sighing, Edward folded the letters and replaced them in their envelopes, sitting them back on the desk before he changed for bed. He had a lot to manage in the coming weeks, and thankfully he would get to share it all with Bella through his letters.

Readying himself for bed, he then wrote Bella a letter, telling her of the end of his trip and the joy he felt at reading her words, feeling her close by as he studied her elegant script on the page. Edward fell asleep shortly after, the long day catching up with him.

The following morning he awoke and took a shower before venturing downstairs to find both of his in-laws at the dining room table.

"Edward, I'd like you to meet Bella's father, Charles Swan," Renee introduced them, but after their handshake, Mr. Swan grumbled at his wife.

"No need to be so formal, Renee. You can call me Charlie, Son. Now join us for some breakfast and tell me a little about how my daughter is doing." Charlie seemed a no-nonsense type of a man, so Edward asked him to wait a minute as he ran up to get some of the pictures he could show her folks.

"This was a picture from this past winter," he said, showing them a picture of Bella bundled up in the Mess Tent. "And here is one from my birthday back in June." He held out one of them sitting together on his bed in his old quarters. "And these are from our wedding."

Renee brought over the food, quickly picking up the pictures that Charlie had finished looking at. "It looks as though you had a lovely ceremony, Edward."

"It was simple, but as she began the hour Isabella Swan, and ended it Mrs. Edward Masen, it was all that we had wanted."

"That will take some getting used to," Charlie said, "but I guess it's lucky that we'll still have her so close to home. Speaking of homes, I hear that my wife is taking you to see the houses that she has been looking at."

"Renee has offered, but I would like to mention that I will need a lot that will be able to accommodate an office for my private practice."

"Oh, Edward, of course I thought of that. I know you've only just arrived, but would you like to take the trip after breakfast? It is a three hour drive, so it is better if we leave early."

"I'll be ready as soon as I've finished eating," he told her, anxious to get started.

And that was how they spent the next week and a half. Renee had him look at every type of property imaginable, and after lunch one afternoon, Edward met Rachel and Rebecca Black, who joined them to visit some of the houses.

The only exception was the afternoon the girls took him to La Push so he could pay his respects to Jacob's father. The drive wasn't long from the Swan house, but Edward noticed the difference as soon as he saw the first set of houses. It was a small community, with simple houses, especially considering the house they stopped in front of was that of one of the tribe elders.

The front door opened and Edward saw the weathered looking man standing in the doorway. He watched for a moment before opening the door, welcoming the trio into the house.

"I'm sorry for the bodyguard," a voice called from behind the door, "but we have grown wary of unfamiliar cars around here these past months."

Edward looked to the man who was speaking, a man he knew by his wheelchair to be Billy Black. "Mr. Black, I'm sorry if my coming here caused a problem, but I'm Dr. Edward Masen, I was the physician that treated your son in Korea. But more importantly, I am married to Bella Masen, formerly Swan, and she wanted me to pay her respects to you until she is able to do so herself."

"Please, call me Billy. Charlie told me that Bella married one of the doctors over there; he also told me what you gave up for her. Why don't you join us for lunch and then Harry can bring you down to pay your respects then?" Billy gestured to the kitchen table and the girls quickly went to work finding something that could be served quickly.

"I didn't know your son for long, Billy, but he was a great young man. Him and I spent some quality time together during his stay at our MASH, and I only wish there had been something more we could have done for him."

The girls returned with sandwiches and potato salad, offering the men iced tea before they returned with the pitcher and glasses for everyone. "The spirits see things that man cannot; it is obvious that our ancestors saw a greater purpose for him where he is now. Jacob ensures the safety of our people from his place with them. Do not blame yourself for circumstances beyond your control, we all miss Jacob, but he is with us still." Edward watched the elder as he spoke of their beliefs and how it seemed to ease his grief to know that his son was with their ancestors serving a purpose to his people.

The meal passed in conversation about how Bella was doing, which led to Edward showing the picture of her he carried in his wallet. After the visit was over, Rachel and Rebecca stayed behind to visit with their father while Harry Clearwater led Edward down to a strip of beach that was a little further down from where the families were congregated. When they stopped in what seemed like the middle of their trip, Edward turned to Harry.

"Our tribe has always sustained itself from the ocean, and when we die many of us return to the sea for our burial." Harry spoke in a voice that left no doubt that he was an elder of the tribe. "Chiefs and certain elders, as well as those chosen by the council are afforded the highest privilege of being buried on top of A-ka-lat, or James Island. That is where Jacob has found his resting place."

"Am I able to visit his grave on the island?" Edward asked, unsure if he was waiting for a boat, or if this was as close as he was allowed.

"No. Only members of the tribe are allowed on the island. If you'd like I could give you some time to yourself."

"I would appreciate it, thank you, Harry."

Edward stayed on the beach for a while, remembering as best he could the chant that Bella performed for Jacob as he wished him whatever peace he might find. Leaving the beach, Edward found the girls sitting in the living room of their father's house, ready to head out. With a heartfelt goodbye to Billy, the girls dropped him off at the Swan house before they returned to the city.

Edward had taken pictures of a few of the houses they had found, but the next day when they arrived at the last stop Renee and the girls had planned, he had a feeling that he was home. The construction workers were still onsite, finishing the last touches to the kitchen as the property owner walked them around.

"You seem interested in the house, but I can tell there's something more on your mind, young man."

"This is what I was looking for, but the only problem is I was hoping to start a private practice as I get better settled in the city, but there isn't anywhere in the house that would work for that purpose," Edward said honestly.

"Would a freestanding building work?" The owner was quick to ask.

"I'd actually prefer it," Edward admitted and the man.

"I have a set of plans for a house we built last year, it was a house with a small cottage in the back, but the interior could easily be altered to make a doctor's office. It would raise the asking cost of the house, but I think we could make arrangements."

Agreeing to meet with Liam, the property owner, in a week, Edward sent the pictures off in the mail to be developed and then wrote Bella a letter discussing his progress.

In the week it took for Liam to make his plans, Edward had handled a lot of business, making sure to pass all of the news along to Bella in his nightly letters. He'd stopped by Harborview and inquired about a position. As luck would have it, his time at Mercy in Chicago, the two years in Korea, and a mention of his wife's referral had him sitting with the head of general surgery.

"One of our surgeons is retiring next year, so I have been looking for someone to take over his responsibilities. I will have to introduce you to Dr. Douglas, because if you're interested he might be willing to sell his practice to you. But you would need a location because he practices out of his house."

"That wouldn't be a problem," Edward told him as they began to discuss the details of his working there.

In the end, he would have privileges there as a surgeon who was affiliated with the hospital, and would work a few shifts a week as an on call surgeon, but luck was on his side as Dr. Douglas was a World War I veteran who instantly hit it off with Edward. He was willing to spend his last year transferring his patients over to Edward, and by the following spring Edward would have full ownership of his practice as well as his work at the hospital.

Liam's plans for his office were right along the lines of what he had in mind, so he signed the paperwork that would allow him to move in while they did the work. Since it was the end of August, Liam was agreeing that by the end of October there wouldn't be any more workers on the property, which was fine with Edward.

Edward signed his contract with Harborview, and then signed the paperwork that Dr. Douglas had drawn up for the transfer of his practice. Renee and Charlie were surprised at the amount of money that Edward was able to readily part with, but he explained the amount of money he'd been left by his maternal grandmother, and how he'd used it to pay for college, support himself during residency and buy his first house, and now he was using that and the money from the sale of that house to set himself up for Bella's return.

He'd paid for the house in full, including the addition, and was now about even with his account balance prior to moving. Edward had set up a monthly installment plan to buy Dr. Douglas' practice, making it easier to part with that money until he took over the practice in full May 1st of 1953.

The pictures came back and Edward was about to sit down to write his letter that evening when he saw the letter from Bella. In the rush of days that had come with meeting with lawyers and bankers, setting up payment schedules and arranging to go shopping for furniture for his new house in the last few free days before he began working at the hospital on September fifteenth, he hadn't noticed the lull in letters as anything serious. Her letter explained exactly what he missed.

_August 14, 1952_

_Dearest Edward, _

_I'm sorry for the lack of letters these past days, but I haven't been much myself. Though I had not informed you previously, afraid of getting your hopes up only to have a delay in informing you if I had been mistaken, a few weeks after arriving back from our honeymoon I thought it might be possible that I was in a family way._

_I was scheduled to go to Tokyo to perform the test there, but the day before I was to leave I began my monthly, letting me know that I was not pregnant as I had hoped._

_It hasn't been too busy these past few days, so the Major let me do light duty, such as organizing and ordering the supplies and overseeing the cleaning of the OR and Post-Op. Those duties have kept my body busy, but my mind has had plenty of time to think._

_It was my most fervent wish for myself as well as for us that I would be with child. It would not only end this separation, but it would have given us a miracle to look forward to, but it seems that is a miracle that I will have to wait until I am back home with you to see into fruition._

_I last received your letter from August 1__st__ and I am happy to hear that things are moving so smoothly. The thought that you are possibly sitting in my parents' house reading my first letters eases the ache in my heart. _

_We will overcome this separation and our life will begin anew when I am free of Korea. Give my best to everyone, and I will write you again tomorrow. I am sorry if the stoppage in letters has caused you any worry. I love you, husband._

_Yours,_

_Isabella Masen_

It tore at his heart to read her anguished words, no matter how hard she tried to hide it. Edward picked up his pen and wrote her the longest letter he was able to stuff in an envelope, outlining the progress he had made, including pictures of the house to go along with his descriptions, and offering his heartfelt sadness for the hope that had been dashed. Edward echoed her sentiment that they would endure, silently wishing that it wasn't too long before she was returned to him.


	11. False Hope

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

This is another tissue warning chapter, but you should know that if you read the end of the last chapter. This is Bella's view of life without Edward for those first two months.

Chapter 11 – False Hope

Isabella watched as Edward's form continued to shrink as the helicopter flew away, turning back towards the direction of the 8076. Bella let a few tears fall, but was shocked to be walking into a whole new level of chaos when she returned.

Corporal Yorkie was waiting for Bella at the landing spot and quickly took her bags. "Something big is happening, Captain, and the Colonel needs you in his office right away."

Bella went directly to the CO's office, and upon seeing Major Hale waiting inside, she became confused. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes, Bella, we are just a little short staffed at the moment. Our nurses who arrived shortly after the 8076 was created were up for rotation unless they agreed to an additional tour, so we lost four nurses. Kate, Tanya, Leah, and Jessica all left via Jeep this morning and their replacements are due to arrive with the General, which makes me nervous," Rosalie finished her explanation.

"Why is a general escorting nurses to their new post?" Bella asked.

"He's coming to discuss something with the Major and I, and he asked who was the Major's direct subordinate, so there's likely to be a big shakeup," Carlisle answered her.

"But why would that involve me?" Bella questioned further.

Carlisle continued to give her the information that he could. "Our unit has the highest rate of survival for the whole Asian Theater, and the General needs someone to work on his council back in Washington to show the army how we are achieving our survival rate so they can use it when setting up further units as well as applying it to civilian hospitals for disaster and accident cases where there is a large influx of patients and they need to move quickly and thoroughly."

"And who better than the military nurse who built our support staff and refined our triage techniques," Bella said.

"If it were to happen, it isn't likely that they would bring in another nurse that would outrank you, Bella," Carlisle added. "If Rosalie was to take the position should it be offered to her, you would become the head nurse."

"But I'm not…do you… what would it…?" Nurse Masen sputtered before Rosalie took her hand.

"You will do fine in the position, Captain, and it will include an increase in pay. Just think about how proud Dr. Masen will be to learn the news of his wife."

"But you cannot say a word of it until it is made official," the Colonel reminded her, to which she nodded vigorously. "That is all for now, you can go and settle into your tent and grab some grub."

Bella left the Colonel's office only to literally bump into her husband's replacement. "Watch it, chickie, or you'll be the one washing this coffee out of my clothing."

"Excuse me, Major, but in case you were a victim of temporary blindness, I will inform you that I am Captain Isabella Masen, the second ranking nurse in this unit. And as such you can either address me as Nurse Masen, or Captain, not _chickie_." Bella nearly snarled the last word at him, but his forward nature was not beaten back.

"You're feisty, Cappy, I like that. What do you say to a trip to the supply closet so we can see what's under those Captain's bars?"

Before she could respond, Jasper was stepping up to them, having seen the end of their interaction. "Is there a problem here?"

"No, Major, just getting to know the Captain," the Major simpered to his superior.

Turning to Bella, Jasper changed the subject. "Did Edward get off well?"

"His flight was leaving just after my chopper took off, but I know that the Corporal will keep tabs on him until he has safely arrived in Chicago. I was sad to leave him behind, but this war will end and I will be home with him soon." Bella laid it on a little thick, but the Major had already left. "Who was that moron?"

"Major James Stoker, but the nurses call him Major Pain, and he is one. Be sure to make complaints if he is inappropriate again. I won't have a member of my staff harassing the nurses," Doctor Whitlock said seriously.

"I will Jasper, but for now I would simply like to write a letter to my husband," Bella said with a smile.

"Tell him that we all say hello, and that he better eat a real egg for breakfast when he gets home," Jasper teased as she headed off to begin to unpack her things.

Nurse Masen returned to her tent, and made quick work of her things, so that she could send off a letter that would reach her parents' house weeks before her husband. But she wanted him to have a stack of letters when he arrived at her childhood house.

The arrival of the General that evening had the camp up in arms, but it was whitewashed as a tour of the MASH camps so that none of the other personnel knew what was really at work. Major Hale impressed the old man, and she was told to begin training Nurse Masen to take over the head nurse position.

And yet, it was still hush-hush, at least until it was announced back home when the General set up his council.

A wave of wounded gave the visiting brass a view of exactly what he was getting with the Major on his team, and after the long OR stretch, he was even more impressed with her.

As his Jeep pulled out and Rosalie and Bella worked to settle the new nurses, Alice caught her in the Mess Tent to ask her about what was happening.

"If I could tell you, you would know already. Just have a little faith and patience," Bella admonished her and then turned her talk to her honeymoon trip with Edward.

"That sounds so romantic," Alice gushed. "I can't wait until the Major and I can go on maneuvers together on our honeymoon."

Bella laughed at her friend's cheeky way of describing marital congress, but said nothing more about it as she got back into the work at hand.

James Stoker seemed to be a thorn in her side most days, finding a way to switch himself on her service so he could try and make a play for a retired player.

"Major, one more word and I will beat you with a bedpan," she growled and he just smirked at her until Dr. King came in.

"Stoker, you're doing wonders for my ranking as the most hated man on base, now leave the Captain alone."

The admonishment from his fellow officer seemed to cool his jets, as Bella turned a grateful eye to him. "Thank you for standing up for me, Dr. King."

"Don't paint me as a white knight, Nurse, I'm just tired of the nightly lecture from the Colonel after he wades through the daily claims of misconduct. I give that man a month before he's removed to an aid station."

The mention of an aid station gave the Captain an idea. It only took her a minute to duck out of Post-Op and into the Colonel's office to speak to him.

"What are you saying, Nurse Masen?" the Colonel asked as he tried to focus on the paperwork before him.

"There is a Captain at the aid station that you sent me to, Peter Martins. He was just finishing up his residency when he was called up, but he's been at the aid station since he arrived. He's a good surgeon and would be a welcome replacement to the Major."

"He's young then, if he's still a resident?" The Colonel tried to determine.

"Actually, he is a year or two older than Edward, but you couldn't tell by looking at him. I thought he was a kid when I first met him, but Edward spoke to him more during our day there and found out that he'd not gone to school for medicine at first, so it delayed the process for him. Just mention him as a possible replacement for James should the need arise," Bella pleaded with the Colonel who was already looking at the Major's file.

"The need is arising sooner than you think," Carlisle said with a shake of his head, taking note of the information for when he needed it.

The days continued to pass, until the day that Bella received her first letter from Edward. Just hearing from him that he'd arrived safely was enough to bring tears to her eyes. Letters would go back and forth, but he had not yet arrived in Forks to read her correspondence.

A letter from her mother detailed how she was turning the house inside out to prepare for Edward's arrival, something that made Bella smile. To know that her parents were welcoming him so openly meant the world to her.

As August began, Bella was deeper in her training with the Major when a comment from Rosalie during a lesson had her counting in her head.

"Bella, what is it? What's the matter?"

"I'm late," she whispered.

"You're not on duty this afternoon, you just did the night shift."

"No, I'm _late,_ as in my monthly."

"We have to tell the Colonel, how late are you?" Rosalie asked.

"Five days," Bella told her and Rosalie hugged her to her side.

"You and I might just be on the same flight home," Rosalie told her as she continued to hug her friend.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. We have to let Dr. Cullen know so he can give me orders to have the test done in Tokyo," Bella rationalized, and that was exactly what they set off to do.

"You think you're pregnant?" Carlisle asked from his doorway, ushering the nurses into his tent.

"I may be," Bella hedged.

"And here I move heaven and earth to get your friend transferred here, though it won't go through for another two weeks so you didn't hear it from me," Carlisle teased, but Bella was beaming.

"Dr. Martins will be transferred here?" Bella gasped.

"Yes, and Dr. Stoker will go to his aid station. The higher ups didn't like that he was harassing female officers so they are sending him into hell as punishment. The fact that I requested an aid station cutter made it easier for them. Now, he won't even know until a few days before, so this really must be kept in the strictest of confidences."

"Understood," both women answered.

"As for your possible discharge, Major, begin training Nurse Brandon as well as the Captain. If she is to be sent home, then you will not have lost all this time, and if for some reason Bella has not been blessed in this way, then someone else will know some of the work, so if there was ever a need, Alice could share the load."

"Excellent plan, Sir," Rosalie said.

"Now, Bella, it can take them time to get a rabbit, so I will schedule the test for a week from today, August ninth. Is that all right with you?"

"That is fine, Sir, thank you." Bella beamed at her superior officer.

"I hope that we'll be throwing you a farewell party in the coming weeks."

Bella and Rosalie walked out of the Colonel's tent to come face to face with an angry looking Alice. "Can I talk to you, Captain?"

"Alice what's wrong?" Bella asked but when she stormed off in the direction of the Supply Tent, Bella decided it was best to just follow her as she entered the room and closed the door.

"What's going on with you, Bella? Ever since you came home you've been distant, and you spend all your time with Rosalie. It's like I don't exist anymore," Alice cried and Bella pulled her close.

"I'm only now allowed to tell you this, because it involves you, but Rosalie is being sent stateside to work on improving triage and medical procedures based on how we manage the MASH unit. I'm with her because I'm being trained for the Head Nurse position."

"Bella, that's wonderful! Oh, I'm so sorry that I was judging you, but I felt like something had happened and I didn't know what I had done. You know I don't have a lot of female friends, and-"

"Alice, there's more," Bella said, halting her rant. "Rosalie is going to need to train you as well, because there's a chance I may get sent home."

"You're pregnant?" Alice whispered.

"I might be." Bella laughed, so happy to share it with her best friend since she couldn't tell her husband yet.

"Oh, what a surprise that would be for Edward, getting a phone call telling him that you're flying home to start your life together sooner than planned." Alice was hugging her friend again, her eyes darting down to her stomach before she laughed as well. "When will you know?"

"Carlisle is contacting Tokyo, but it will take them time to get a rabbit, so I will fly out on the morning of the ninth for my test." Bella gave her friend the details as they emerged from the stock room.

"Let's head over to the Mess Tent, we have to make sure mother and child are well fed," Alice joked, but Bella froze.

"Don't tease about it, Alice, I'm still scared that it's a false alarm," Bella confided and Alice immediately hugged her again.

"I'm sorry, I won't say anything else until we know for sure. Now, we just have to work to pass the next week quickly."

Passing the time was a little more difficult than Mrs. Masen would have thought, because as she read the letters that Edward sent her, one for each day they were apart, she had little to say back. The important things in her life were the ones she couldn't confide in him about. The promotion was not something she could discuss, nor was the inevitable transfer of Major Stoker, and certainly not her possible pregnancy. The idea of him holding onto hope for weeks if nothing were to come of it was too much for her to bear, so she said nothing.

Her letters were about camp life. The movies that Corporal Yorkie had managed to trade for. The long OR stretches. The things that reminded her of their time together.

The days finally seemed to pass and Bella found herself standing opposite Major Whitlock's operating table for their latest OR stretch. In sixteen hours she would be on a chopper to Seoul and then fly on to Tokyo for her test, but first she had patients to tend to.

Smart remarks and jokes were passed around by the rest of those working on the latest soldiers to come in from the hills, but Bella focused on her patient, and the needs of her doctor.

The hours ticked by, and while wrist deep in a bowel resection, Nurse Masen felt the pressure, followed by a warm, wet sensation as it slowly pooled in her underwear.

Her trip to Tokyo was no longer needed.

Bella stood there as if nothing had happened for over an hour, handing Jasper the instruments he needed as he finished his procedure. When the patient was carried off and the final patient to be brought in was a superficial wound, Bella asked to be excused.

"Of course, Captain. Is everything all right?" Major Whitlock asked.

"It will be, excuse me," she muttered before running off to her tent to grab her supplies and make her way to the latrine.

She took her time, knowing it would be the nurses' turn in the shower in less than an hour, so she only needed to make it until then and she would be able to wash away the evidence of what wasn't meant to be.

Jogging back to her tent to get her shower supplies, Bella was first in the stall when it was time, but she had two visitors, neither of who were getting in the stall next to her.

"What happened in there, Bella? It isn't like you to run out on an OR session," Rosalie asked but Bella hid her tears in the water.

"And why are you showering? You should be on a chopper in a few hours," Alice reminded her friend.

"I'm sorry about my behavior in there, but if you could find the Colonel and tell him that I won't need the trip to Tokyo after all I'd appreciate it," Bella said curtly.

"Bella?" Rosalie questioned.

"I started my monthly while we were working on the bowel resection. I completed that patient, but I couldn't stand around for the next procedure," Bella explained.

"I will go speak to the Colonel, he will likely want to examine you when you are feeling a little better," Rosalie said, leaving Alice in the showers with Bella.

"I'm so sorry, Bella, but everything will be all right. And I will speak to the Corporal and see if he can procure you a new uniform from supply," Alice offered, allowing Bella a few more minutes alone to finish her shower.

Bella stayed in the shower, letting the water pelt her as she cried. Alice did not return, so as her time drew to an end, Nurse Masen dried off and changed into new fatigues, taking extra time to make sure the belt for her sanitary napkin was secure. It wouldn't do to ruin another uniform.

Bella caught the little Korean woman who did laundry for the camp and gave her the soiled uniform, showing her the blood. The woman looked at it with a knowing smile and nodded, putting it in a separate bag. She knew there was little chance of it coming out, but her best chance was to get it taken off as soon as possible. Bella returned to her tent, only to see her footlocker was gone.

"What's going on?" she asked Lieutenant Baker, one of the new nurses.

"Major Hale came in a few minutes ago and had Sergeant McCarty carry it to her tent. She said that you should go to her when you returned, Ma'am," Nurse Baker answered.

"Thank you, Baker," Bella answered as she made the short trip over to the Major's tent.

"Major?" she asked as she walked in to see Emmett helping the Corporal with a cot.

"This will be your tent in a week, so there's no reason you shouldn't get used to it. The privacy will allow us the chance to go over anything you want to ask, as well as keep your bunkmates from knowing what's going on," Rosalie explained.

"Bella, if you need help carrying anything, you let me know," Emmett told her as he left.

Corporal Yorkie went to follow him, but paused by the door. "Ma'am, I won't be able to add an extra uniform to this month's requisition order, but it will arrive after the Major leaves, so you can have the one I ordered for her."

"How did you manage to order us new uniforms, a new pair of boots take an act of Congress and we get our parkas after most of the cold weather has passed?" the Captain asked in shock.

Eric blushed slightly as he answered, "When a General makes a call to clear the way, you'd be amazed the things that can be requisitioned. So new uniforms for the nurses that had just arrived, not to mention the one that will come to fill the spot you will vacate when you are promoted, was an easy order."

"Thank you for thinking of us, Corporal, it was a very sweet thing to do," Bella told him just before he left.

"That boy would move heaven and earth for the nurses here," Rosalie said with a wistful smile. "He told me soon after we arrived that we made this war a little more human. Seeing us out there with the men, doing our jobs always left him in awe of us, but when it was done having women made him feel like he was back at home a little bit. And he's a firm believer in the happy wife, happy life philosophy, only he has a dozen sisters to try and keep happy. I'm going to miss him, he'd give you the shirt off his back and the food off his plate without a second thought. The world needs a few more Corporal Yorkie's."

"That it does," Bella agreed before she went to lie down. "Do you mind if I…?"

Understanding what she was asking, Rosalie responded, "You go ahead and relax. I'll take your shift in Post-Op today and you can do the paperwork in here when you're feeling a little better. This week can be a transition for you, doing more of the administrative work while I help out with your shifts."

"I should be fine to work tomorrow-" Bella began, but Rosalie cut her off.

"It's best that you rest, and I'm sure that the Colonel will feel the same. He should be by this afternoon to see you."

Rosalie left Bella alone, and she opened the lid of her foot locker to pull out a picture of Edward. Changing into some sleepwear, she settled into bed, staring at the photo of her husband.

"I'm sorry I couldn't make our dream come true, Edward," Mrs. Masen whispered as she cried herself to sleep.

Alice made quick work of packing up the remainder of Bella's belongings, explaining to the nurses that Major Hale would be rotated home and that Captain Masen would become head nurse. It was about that moment that a roar echoed around the camp.

"Where is she?" The screaming voice of Major Stoker grew increasingly louder as he banged on the nurses' tent door.

Alice cracked the door and stared him down. "Whoever it is you're looking for, you won't be allowed within twenty feet of them until you calm yourself, Major."

"Listen to me you little bitch, I wi-" James began, but the threat died in his throat.

"Major, back away from that tent or the MP's will take you into custody. Maybe some time in Leavenworth will cool you down," Colonel Cullen called as he marched across the compound, intercepting an irate-looking Major Whitlock.

"Listen, I know that you're shipping me to that aid station because of this tart's friend and-" This time it was Jasper who interrupted him by taking him by the collar and hauling him away from the nurses.

"Listen to me, you sorry excuse for an officer," Jasper seethed, "the number of complaints and complainants against you in the last month is unconscionable, these women are risking their lives just like the rest of us and they deserve your respect. But all you seem to be able to do is defile them with your lewd thoughts and advances. If you so much as step one toe out of line in the next few days, I will make you a date with a North Korean firing squad. Are we clear?"

"Yes, Major," James growled.

Turning to the nurses, Jasper took a deep breath and warned them, "If he says or does anything that makes you feel uncomfortable for the remainder of his time here, you let either the Colonel or I know immediately and it will be handled."

With the situation solved for now, Jasper and Carlisle went to continue on to their original destination, Alice following behind them with Bella's duffle. "Check to see if she's willing to see us?" the Colonel asked.

"Bella," Alice whispered as she entered the tent.

"You don't have to be quiet, that shouting match outside woke me up. What do you need?"

"The Colonel and Jasper wanted to speak with you," she explained, sitting down her bag. "I just have to grab your suitcase and your knapsack and then all of your things will be in here."

"Thank you, Alice, and you can send them in, I'm decent," Bella said as she sat up in bed.

The pair of men entered, allowing Alice to slip out to fetch the last of Bella's things. "Bella, we're so sorry to hear about…what happened," Jasper said, unsure of how to bring up such a sensitive subject with his friend. "I wish I had known what was happening on the other side of my gurney, I would have relieved you earlier."

"It wouldn't have made a difference in the outcome, Jasper. I'm not with child, so life will continue on as if nothing had happened," Bella said plainly.

"If you would like, this might be something that would earn you a heartache discharge," Carlisle offered, but Bella shook her head.

"Without proof that I may have been pregnant, the Army will say that I was simply late because of the stress in my life. It's too convenient to request to be sent home so soon after Edward earned his points. But I thank you both for the thought. The best thing is for me to think that way as well, because to think of what I might have lost will be too much to bear right now. So I will soldier on, quite literally."

Trying to move the conversation along, Carlisle said, "Rosalie spoke to me about you being on light duty until you're feeling better in a few days, and I agree. You can do the Head Nurse work and she will split your shifts with Alice for a few days."

"You know the signs to look out for, Bella, if anything seems wrong, you let us know immediately," Jasper implored and Bella agreed.

Alice's return gave the men their excuse to return to their previous activities and after a little fussing from Alice, Bella was left to rest again.

The three days that followed were rough for Bella. She cried often, and her cycle was particularly heavy, evidence of what she didn't want to think on. The new Head Nurse took to her responsibilities with new zeal and the work kept her busy for a short while. The short lull came at the exact right time to allow Bella the luxury of being able to heal in private.

Major James Stoker climbed into a jeep the evening of August 11th, and left the unit without a sendoff. His replacement arrived in the predawn hours aboard a bus from his former unit, stepping out of the back to brief his new co-workers on the status of their patients.

"Where's Captain Masen?" Peter asked one of the new nurses as they moved patients in to Pre-Op.

"She's right over there, Sir," the girl answered, pointing to Bella.

"Welcome to the 8076, Captain Martins," Bella said with a hug as he pulled back to really get a look at her.

"It seems a lot has changed since you came to visit me. When I asked for Captain Masen, I was expecting a tall, lanky doctor, not the nurse that taught me a fair amount about burn treatment. Am I correct in assuming that he was shipped home?"

"You are, Peter, now let's get you in to scrub up and we can catch up more later," Bella said as she led him into the Scrub Room, telling the Corporal to see to Peter's bags.

The pair worked together during that session much as they did at the aid station, giving Bella a renewed sense that everything would be all right. Work would continue and life would go on.

Exhaustion set in after she finally left the OR, and a long shift in Post-Op, followed by another round of operating had her going another day without writing to Edward.

When she woke up the morning of the fourteenth and realized it had been nearly a week since she'd last written him, Bella reconciled herself to giving him their bad news. She got the letter in the mail and then went over the requisition form for the supplies for the following month before giving it to Eric and returning to Post- Op to check on things in there. That night didn't see any casualties arriving, so the camp was able to enjoy their dinner as much as they were able to and watch the latest movie they'd received.

After the letter she sent the day before, Bella realized that she had left out the best of her news. Now at liberty to tell him everything, Bella sat down to write Edward again.

_August 15, 1952_

_Dearest Edward,_

_I'm sorry that I was remiss in giving you some good news in yesterday's letter to counteract the bad, but I wasn't at my best when I wrote to you. But there have been many changes here in recent days, and they will do you some good to hear._

_First, Major Stoker was reassigned to an aid station, leaving a few days ago, and in his place I was happy to see a familiar face join our ranks. Peter Martins is now stationed with us and he is adjusting nicely to having a roof over his head that doesn't find its way under your feet by the time you're done operating. He jokes that our OR is so quiet that he can hear the enemy snoring out in the hills._

_The change of pace was a welcome change for him, and for us it is nice to have a friendly smile instead of a scowl. And when he arrived, he was surprised to have one of the new nurses point me out when he asked for Captain Masen, but he was happy to hear of your good fortune and wishes you the best in Seattle._

_Another change here is that Rosalie was selected to do some work for the army in the States, so as the ranking nurse at the unit, I was given her position. Tonight is her farewell party and in the morning I will be the Head Nurse of the 8076._

_At first I was nervous about the responsibility, but it isn't all that bad, and with my light duty a few days last week, it gave me a chance to get the paperwork just right before taking over the position. I will miss Rosalie dearly, as it seems that the MASH I came to is no longer the unit I am in. So many of the nurses are gone, and without you it just doesn't feel the same._

_But as always, I will smile and enjoy the privacy of my new room so that I can look upon your photograph each night as I fall asleep. I have to get ready for Rosalie's send off, but I will write again soon._

_Yours,_

_Captain Isabella Masen  
Head Nurse – MASH 8076_


	12. A Beginning and an End

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Love to my beta, mizzdee, who is so sad to see the last few chapters of this story approaching, it will end at the epilogue, which is chapter 18. Thanks to debslmac, for being review number 150 of ffn.

Chapter 12 – A Beginning and an End

Edward poured himself into the work on the house, wanting it to be perfect. Rachel and Rebecca were fonts of information, but Edward had specific questions that would need to be answered by Bella herself. As he looked over the Sears & Roebuck catalogue that his mother-in-law had thankfully saved, he sent a letter to Bella, knowing that she would still have that as Corporal Yorkie kept the previous season's catalogue in case they didn't receive the following years.

_September 2, 1952_

_My Darling Wife,_

_I am currently looking at the Spring & Summer Sear's catalogue, wondering what your taste in things for our home would be. It seems that furniture shopping is well above my depth and the last thing I would like to do is decorate the house in a style that wouldn't suit you. I'm fairly certain that you wouldn't be a fan of this modern furniture, but I am not sure. Please take a few moments at your leisure to find things that are in the style you like and give me the examples so that I might be able to find something similar. _

_Our house stands as a blank canvas to us as it is a new construction, hopefully these pictures will aid you in seeing what we have to work with. My main question for you is how you would like the bedrooms upstairs to be set up. I could see two of them being set up as guest rooms until there is a need for them to be altered for our family someday, but for the final bedroom, should it be outfitted as a nursery, or is that too presumptuous? I would not mind leaving that room untouched until we have a need for it, but that is your choice._

_Also, I wanted to let you know I received the money you sent yesterday and promptly deposited it in the bank. Your mother had been holding onto the money you had sent home to her, and upon receiving your letter she turned it over to me as well. Your thoughtful savings will go a long way to helping us build the home of our dreams._

_The Chief has offered to help me with any painting or wallpapering that I will do once I've made choices, and with just two weeks until I begin my job at the hospital, the help will be much appreciated._

_The flooring is mostly carpeting, but there is ceramic tile in the kitchen and bathrooms. It seems that our contractor, Liam has an abhorrence for the new linoleum and vinyl flooring. _

_I will leave you there, until I know more, but I will settled into our new house in a few weeks, even if it is nothing more than a mattress and my belongings until I can furnish it. I put our new address as the return address, and all future letters can be sent to me there. The keys are mine and the crew is working to build the small building for my private practice so that it will be ready when I have a need for it._

_Until next I hear from you._

_Your husband,_

_Edward Masen_

Edward looked back at the pictures and thought about his wife wondering what she was doing at that moment.

As luck would have it, Edward's letter about decorating arrived to her in only ten days, so she was able to begin to help him sooner than she thought. His last letter had been one where he congratulated her on the promotion to head nurse, and expressed his excitement that Major Stoker was gone and his good friend Peter was there and further from harm.

Peter had been surprised to receive a letter as well as the Corporal joked that the former Captain was single-handedly keeping him in shape with all the mail delivery he was doing.

Having procured the catalogue from the Corporal, she laid out on her cot and flipped through the pages until she got to the furniture pages. Alice also had some magazines for them to look at for inspiration, so with the pictures of her home laid out before her, she told him the styles she liked.

_September 12, 1952_

_Dear Edward,_

_I will try to pour all I can into this letter, as I know that tomorrow it is likely that I will be down the road with half the camp as they see fit to celebrate my birthday, knowing full well that it is a distraction from how I would most wish to spend my birthday. With you._

_But to answer your myriad of questions, my mother still has the cradle and rocking chair from when I was a baby, so you can furnish the room with dressers and things that a child can grow into, the remaining furniture can be added in when the time comes. As for our guest rooms and master bedroom, I prefer dark woods to light, and you are right that I am not a huge fan of those modern styles. A piece or two isn't too bad, but an entire room that looks like something from the future isn't appealing to me._

_As far as wall colors, I beg you not to pick army green. That is the only color that I would be happy to do without, but anything that is bright without being garish and with enough neutral to balance it out will be fine. (Show this to Rachel and she will be able to help you with that aspect of the process.)_

_The foil wallpaper for one of the bathrooms would be nice, but I also like a simply painted wall. The paneling in the living room and what I'm assuming will be your den will add some warmth to the house, and that is what I want most of all. Make our home comfortable and not too stuffy and I will be happy. _

_Examples of specific styles are listed on the reverse with the page number in the S&R catalogue and the item name. If you could do me one favor and get a sewing machine set up in one of the guest rooms so that I can have a little area of my own, I would appreciate it. I miss sitting down in the evenings and sewing on Rebecca's Singer sewing machine. That would truly be a dream, but do not worry about that until the house is properly furnished._

_I will say goodbye for now, and cannot wait until I have pictures of what you have done with the place._

_Yours, _

_Isabella Masen_

Edward laughed heartily as he read the letter, knowing exactly what he would get her for her birthday this year. The letter with her instructions arrived on Edward's first day of work, but that did not stop him from thinking about what he would be doing when he got home the next morning.

The pace of the hospital was much slower than he was used to in Korea, but he was happy to get to work, meeting with his first patient an hour after beginning his shift. The hours passed, and he scheduled the patient for a minor procedure once all the necessary tests had been run.

A few more routine patients had him acclimating to civilian work once more. When morning came and he went home, his day his own before he had a day shift the following morning. Driving down the streets of Seattle, he found a block that had several furniture shops and pulled into a parking spot, hoping to find something to please his wife.

The first store he entered seemed to sell mostly bedroom furniture, but with his list of room measurements and Bella's letter tucked into his pocket, he approached the sales man.

"Sir, can I help you this morning?"

"Yes, I've recently purchased a house in Seattle and I need to buy furnishing and as I was driving by I noticed that the bedroom set in the front display is very similar to a style that my wife likes." Edward motioned to the bedroom set in question and the man smiled.

"Of course, Mr. …?" the salesman trailed off and Edward smirked.

"Dr. Masen," he said simply as the man cleared his throat.

"Dr. Masen, my name is Austin Marks, and if you like that set, then I have one near the back that I think you might prefer, right this way."

Austin was right, as soon as he saw the bedroom set in question, which had more room for his wife's clothing than the display one, he knew it was the right choice for their master bedroom. "You're right, it is a very nice set, but if you could show me a few others I would appreciate it."

Edward spent nearly an hour looking around the store, mentally picking out the sets for both of the guest rooms, and finding an armoire and dresser that would work well in what would one day be the nursery.

As he stood by the dresser and armoire in question, he turned to Austin. "Mr. Marks, how much for just this armoire and the long dresser without the mirror?"

Checking the tags on the back of the item, he held in his disappointment. "The pair would be $75."

"Perfect, I'll take them, along with the first set you showed me, the mahogany one in the corner, and the dark cherry one there." Edward pointed to the last two, amused by the stunned look on Mr. Marks' face.

"Of course, Sir. Let me just check the prices so that I can write you a receipt and then we can discuss payment and delivery. Did you have a preference as far as mattresses go?"

"The one you have in the first bedroom set was the one I liked the best," he told Mr. Marks as he went around to tally the prices.

A few minutes later they were seated at the desk, going over the totals. "Okay, Dr. Masen, with the three sets, the three mattress and box spring sets, and the additional armoire and dresser, plus the delivery fee, your total will be $847."

"Very good, my one question is when can they be delivered?" Edward asked as he wrote the check.

"The day after tomorrow if that is amenable."

"It is, though the person accepting the delivery will be my mother-in-law."

Mr. Marks made note of it and took the check from Edward. "That won't be a problem, just have her direct the men to the proper rooms and everything will be taken care of."

After a few more details were discussed, Edward walked out of the store and popped his head into the next store on the street. It was too modern for their liking, so Edward continued down the street. Another store had him writing a check for a sideboard, china hutch and a seven piece dining room set.

Driving a few streets over, Edward returned to the electronics store to check on an order he'd placed the week before, waiting for the new shipment.

"Dr. Masen," the young girl greeted him. "I'm so happy you stopped in. My brother will be around this afternoon doing deliveries and your items have just arrived, if you'd like, he can drop them by your house this evening."

"That would be fine, Katie, give your father my best," Edward told the teenager, pleased that he had another thing to check off his list.

Edward thought about the fact that in a few days, the cot he had bought could be rolled away into one of the closets as he relaxed on his new bed, reminding him that he had a significant amount of shopping left.

Edward was still lacking any living room furniture, or items for his den for that matter, but he drove to Bella's former apartment to meet with the Black sisters.

"My, you've been busy, Edward, but there is still much to do," Rebecca said.

"I know, which is why I've brought you along for my trip into the lion's den," Edward joked, causing the girls to laugh.

"It's just Fredrick's department store, it isn't that bad," Rachel admonished lightly as they parked in the parking lot for the department store.

Bella had enjoyed reading Edward's daily accounts of his shopping expeditions, days spent painting and wallpapering the various rooms with her father and working at her old hospital. It seemed that once he knew what she liked, Edward moved quickly to secure it.

It was the morning of October 14th when Nurse Masen received a particularly large envelope from Edward. Pulling open the flap, she unwrapped the letter from where it held the many pictures of their home and smiled at what she saw. Wanting to read his words before looking at the pictorial of their new home, she tucked the pictures back in and turned to his letter.

_October 1, 1952_

_My Bella,_

_Our house is now fully furnished and filled with our belongings, awaiting only your return. As you can see from the pictures, I've been very busy. I made notes on the reverse side of the pictures so you know what is what, but I want you to pay special attention to the picture of the second guest bedroom and see if you can locate your birthday gift. I only wish that you could have use of it sooner rather than later._

_As for the rest of things here in Seattle, my work in the hospital is going well, the patients are not in nearly as dire a condition as ours were at the 8076, but that is a welcome change. My three days a week at the hospital are easy enough, and I also spend a few days with Dr. Douglas working at his private practice. His patients are aware of the transition, and many are very happy that he found someone that they are able to trust. It seems my time in the service has endeared me to the women who remember their own husbands and fathers going off during World War II, and the younger families seem pleased to have a doctor that is nearer to their age._

_I will have full ownership of the practice by May, which will be well after the work is done on the addition. You can see that it is not yet completed in the pictures, but the building is fenced in to separate it a little from our home, and it sits at the front of the property, with space for a few cars to park in the small area around back and on the right side of the building. The outside is nearly completed, and the inside is still in need of finishing touches, but the estimate of mid-October will be nearly true. I expect that it will be a little closer to Halloween when Liam and his men take the last of their things from the property, but the quality of their work is well worth the wait._

_It will house four exam rooms, a well appointed supply room, my office, and the waiting and reception area. It is a fine little building, but it thankfully doesn't take too much away from the front of the property. I will be purchasing my furniture and equipment next, and have found us a good accountant and lawyer for both my practice and our personal needs._

_Things are really coming together here, and being close to your family and the hospital you loved makes me feel closer to you. Enclosed are both pictures of our home and a few shots taken by myself and your mother, who rather enjoyed watching the Chief and I get more paint on ourselves than we did on the wall._

_Be safe, my love and I will write again tomorrow._

_Yours, _

_Edward Masen_

Bella was about to take the photos out so she could look at them when there was a loud explosion on the far side of the camp. Folding the letter and slipping it back into the envelope, Bella stuffed it into her pocket and ran towards the noise with Jasper trailing behind her.

"That sounded like a land mine," Jasper called out to her.

"It hasn't been cold enough for the weather to set them off yet," Bella yelled back as the pair of them came to the edge of one of the hills that was rarely used because of how steep it was, seeing a bloodied Dr. King lying on his side.

"Damn it, how are we going to get him out of there?" Jasper asked.

"Get me a blanket, Corporal," Bella told one of the men who came out to investigate the explosion.

"What are you thinking?"

"We can see the path he took, so if we drag him out along the same path, we shouldn't set off another mine, if there are any close by."

"I don't like it, Bella," Jasper began to argue, but she turned on him.

"I don't like it either, but I've got the best chance of stepping lightly and keeping in his path, the blanket will just make it easier to drag him out," Bella explained as she took the offered blanket.

Nurse Masen folded it in half length-wise and then walked gingerly through the tracks that Royce had made lying the blanket at her feet and then leaned forward, placing her foot against the rocky hill that Royce had been thrown against after the explosion. Most of the camp was now at the edge of what they now knew was a small cluster of mines hidden in case the men tried to take cover in the hills. Bella hooked her arms through the Captain's and then pushed off the rocks stepping on the blanket as she laid the Captain down. Grabbing the end, she slowly and carefully dragged him along the mostly straight path that he'd laid out for them, the men reaching to help her drag him once she was within arm's length. Jasper yanked her away from danger, trying to decide if he should hug her, or strangle her.

"The Colonel is preparing the OR for him," Jasper whispered as he pulled her close.

"I better go scrub up," Bella responded, not wanting to get into what she'd done.

"You better tell Edward what you did, because he's going to hear about it from either myself or the War Department when you get a medal for that stunt," Jasper called after her, watching her run ahead of the men carrying the badly injured doctor towards the hospital.

Bella turned on the water and reached for a set of scrubs, Alice and Jasper stepping in a minute later. "Do you need the extra set of hands?" Alice asked.

"Scrub up, we may need you if we find something when we get in there," Bella instructed as Carlisle looked over at them.

"He's ready. Jasper, can you work the gas?" Carlisle asked.

"Of course," Jasper responded.

The three of them scrubbed up, taking extra care before donning their gloves and entering the OR. Jasper took his seat at Royce's head, checking his vitals before using the mask to put him under. Once he was anesthetized, Carlisle made an incision near an already open wound. "There's a fair amount of shrapnel in his gut, and we'll have to set his leg, but his x-ray didn't show any other serious damage."

The team worked together, Alice keeping the supplies in check as she treated the superficial wounds on his leg and hip, allowing Bella and the Colonel to pick what was left of the mine and the hill out of the Captain. They were ninety minutes into the surgery when the first hint of something wrong began to appear.

Jasper was watching Royce's vitals when his pressure began to drop. "Is there a bleeder in there, because he's starting to fade?"

"No, we've got him nearly finished down there, it has to be somewhere else," Carlisle said.

"His brain scans were clear?" Jasper asked as Bella checked his eyes.

"His right pupil is blown," she told them and they scrambled to get the cranial drill.

"Bella, keep an eye on his belly. You can continue to check for any debris so that we can close as soon as his pressure is under control," Carlisle told her as he put the instrument to Dr. King's skull and started to turn the crank.

"His pressure's still dropping," Jasper said as Carlisle worked on another burr hole, the first once only bleeding slightly.

"Here's the clot. Bella, get me some suction," Carlisle asked as he tried to clear the field, but Royce was losing his battle.

"Colonel, we've lost his pulse," Jasper said as Bella began compressions, Alice running around to operate the bag valve mask.

The four of them worked to revive their comrade, but in the end he was gone to them. "Time of death, 13:47."

Bella's hands stilled over Royce's chest, her mind instantly going to all the words said in anger over the last seventeen months. "Goodbye, Captain," she whispered before leaving the OR to wash off his blood and return to her tent.

It had been just under two hours ago that she had opened Edward's letter, and now as she sat down to write him, it felt like a lifetime ago.

_October 14, 1952_

_Edward,_

_This day began with your letter detailing all of your hard work on our home. I'm so happy that you were able to get all of the work accomplished and that your professional life is going so well. Your happiness and your smile in the pictures you sent fills my heart with joy._

_But this letter is not meant to relay much happy news. _

_The first thing I must tell you, because I know that I will be ratted out by that fink you call a best friend, not to mention a sizable portion of the camp. (I'm not angry with Jasper for his stance, but he is a pushy bugger when he is cross.)_

_Today, after I had finished reading your letter, there was a loud explosion. It seems that one of the hills at the edge of camp had at least one mine in it to try and catch retreating soldiers who might run over it. Yet instead of catching a foot soldier, it was Dr. King who set it off, throwing his body against the rocky hill. With little thought to my own safety, besides the knowledge that I had the best chance to get him out without falling out of his tracks, I entered the area where he'd set off the mine and retrieved his body._

_Please do not be mad at me for going in after him. I know Royce is not someone with whom most people got along, but he did slowly soften, and he showed that he was not one to let someone be harassed, much to my surprise. He was a good man, and despite all of our efforts, we were unable to save him._

_I hate this war, Edward. I hate it for giving us people, for good or for bad, and then taking them away from us. I hate that some of the people I'm closest to are a world away while I'm still here wondering when it will be our turn. And I hate that when the thing I want most of all are your arms around me, that I cannot have them. This war may have brought us together, but it also tore us apart._

_Around us there is talk of being home by Christmas, but it is not something I expect. My hopes won't rise to that level until the announcement comes over Armed Forces radio, telling us that an armistice has been signed. I cannot bear the disappointment._

_I will write you a happier letter tomorrow, but for the moment I don't have much joy in my person. Another one of us is leaving here, but for the Captain, it will not be a happy homecoming._

_Yours,_

_Isabella Masen._

Edward read her words with a bowling ball in his gut. He knew that feeling of uselessness, like no matter what you did, the wounded would keep coming. People would die, others would be shipped home, but the one constant was the casualties that kept coming in.

_October 31, 1952_

_Dear Bella,_

_I had quite a few letters today from my former unit, and many of them relayed the sad news of your loss._

_You are correct in stating that Royce King was far from my favorite person, but he wasn't a bad man. And while I'm anxious to hear about your choice to go in after him, I would expect nothing less from you. You are a brave woman, my darling. Just try to remember the husband waiting at home for you._

_I've already purchased part of your Christmas gift, mindful that it must be sent sooner rather than later for you to get it before the New Year. This is always the worst time to send packages, but I hope that having your gifts wrapped within the box will allow you a little joy when it arrives, and a little more come Christmas Day._

_Though I would love to have you with me, the news does seem to paint a picture that would allude to you ringing in 1953 in Korea._

_To bring you up to date on my private practice, I took part of the money I had set aside and purchased my office furniture and the equipment for the exam rooms. Much of it will arrive in the coming weeks, so I am hopeful that I will be able to start seeing some of my patients in my new office in the New Year. About one third of Dr. Douglas' patients now see me, and as time goes by he gives me more of his patients. _

_Would you believe that the hardest part of this whole thing is picking out the furniture for the waiting room? Medical equipment is easy, making lists of the bandages and tongue depressors from what Dr. Douglas keeps on hand takes no real consideration, but the style and color of this modular furniture, and the arrangement of it, is most perplexing. There is too much choice; that is what is causing my problem. Please look at the enclosed ad and tell me your preference and I will heed your advice._

_I read both the letter dated the 14__th__ and the 15__th__ before sitting down to write as they arrived together, so let me say that I'm happy to hear that you got a letter from Major Hale, though I'm surprised that she has not left the service with her appointment to the council. The thought of her working at a VA hospital once she is done with her official duty suits her. Who knows, maybe she could be stationed at the same hospital as Jasper will be upon his return. That would be a riot, the two of them surviving Korea together only to continue to work together back in the States._

_I will leave you here for now. Please, my love, save me from my interior design disaster._

_Yours, _

_Edward Masen_


	13. Unmerry Christmas Without You

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Thanks for all the love on this story, I'm two chapters away from being done writing this and the updates should be regularly until I hit complete. Thanks to mizzdee for keep up with me while working hard on her own stories!

Chapter 13 – Unmerry Christmas Without You

It had been hard for Edward to receive news of the untimely death of Captain King on two accounts. First, because he knew that under that attitude and sense of entitlement was a man who didn't let people in, and one that they would sadly never get to know. But more than that, it reminded him of just how much danger his wife was in, even when she wasn't running into minefields. Not that he needed the reminder.

Royce's replacement was a Captain from the 8055, who was transferred as a personal favor for the Colonel, as they'd met during officer training and gotten along quite well. Dr. Garrett Reese was a cardiothoracic surgeon back in the Pennsylvania, but two and a half years doing meatball surgery had sharpened his general surgery skills as well, according to Bella's most recent letter. The team at the 8076 seemed to finally be a calm one, no real instigators, and most of the nurses only knew Bella as the Captain who had been promoted to Chief Nurse, not a rival for Dr. Masen's attention, so the cattiness she'd dealt with had left with the old nurses.

Edward never told Bella about the nightmares he had concerning her, especially now that her latest stunt had made them a nightly occurrence. He remembered when the draft had come up while he was in college, but his medical degree would have been his deferment if his number had ever come up. This time it had been his ticket in and he knew that this war would need a major turn, or some hard work at the peace talks, because as it stood now this war could go on for years. Edward didn't need to see the newsreels or listen to the radio; he knew what he could be facing.

These were the thoughts filling Edward's mind as he stood in line waiting for the sales girl to be ready to charge him for his purchases. As he watched the other shoppers he smiled that he would not be braving the Christmas crowd because he would be finished with his shopping. He was fearful of the trip to the post office to mail off the majority of his packages.

He'd succeeded in getting something for Rachel and Rebecca, a thank you for the enormous amount of help they'd offered him when it came to the home he'd bought and decorated to suit his wife's tastes. There were also gifts for his in-laws and a few things to send along to his mother and father, though he knew the latter would not be grateful for the gift. The remainder of his bounty was soon to be shipped off to Korea, pieces of home for his friends and a few care packages for his beloved.

A letter from Major Hale arrived at his door that morning, striking up another correspondence with his friend now that she was Stateside.

Edward bought the last of his gifts, making a final trip to the candy store that Frederick and Nelson's had inside to pick up the order of specialty chocolates for Bella.

And then came the very tedious task of trying to properly wrap the gifts. Parcels took longer to get where they were going, because the army checked packages before forwarding them on with the rest of the mail. Edward knew the regulations for sending packages from being on the receiving end, so he picked up a few sturdy cardboard boxes and looked at the bags of packages he had laid out in front of him.

Edward had just grabbed one of the rolls of brown craft paper so that he would have it near when he needed it when the phone rang. "Saved by the bell."

Walking over to the end table that housed the phone, he answered it before the caller gave up on reaching him in the middle of the day. "Hello, Masen residence."

"Edward, it's your mother," he heard the smile in his mother's voice as she said his name.

"Mother, this is quite a surprise. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I wanted to surprise Isabella with something for Christmas, but I'm not sure what to get her," Elizabeth explained.

"As simplistic as it sounds, buy her socks, if you know of a type of women's underwear that will keep her warm, the winters are very long and cold. She also loves to read, so if you know of a particular book she might enjoy, that would be a nice surprise for her. Most of my packages are clothing, with a few items meant to surprise her."

"Edward, it's a week before Thanksgiving, why do you make it sound as though you're about to ship your packages out?" his mother asked, sounding a little nervous.

"Because I am, Mother. Packages take longer than letters and I want her to have these before Christmas. If you send your packages in the next week or so it should arrive right before Christmas."

"Well then, I have to get to work, could you please give me her size so that I might send her something that will be of use to her. The last thing I'd want to do is seem frivolous while sending my new daughter-in-law a Christmas gift."

"Mother, I assure you that anything you send Bella will be treasured," Edward reassured her before giving her the information that she requested. After another moment or two talking, Elizabeth ended the call so that Edward could return to his packages.

Once settled on the living room floor, Edward laid out the four boxes he had to send her gifts. Taking the two blankets he bought her, he laid each one in one of the larger boxes, hoping to cushion the packages with them. Taking a bit of time and patience to wrap all of her gifts, the chocolates being double wrapped so they wouldn't melt onto anything should they be left somewhere hot for too long, he prepared each item for the shipment.

It took him a long while, but eventually Bella's four boxes were filled and ready to be sealed, but first he had a few notes to write. Using four of the Christmas cards he'd bought at Frederick and Nelson's, Edward left her little notes and instructions for each package, in case they arrived out of order. Sealing the boxes and wrapping them in the brown paper, Edward added the twine binding and then addressed the packages so they would be all ready for his trips to the post office.

Taking a break from the painstaking work of making care packages, Edward wrapped the gifts for his family and friends, both home and abroad and then made himself an early dinner. Returning to the task for the day, Edward was able to package up his general box for the camp, just little odds and ends from home that could be put out during the camps Christmas celebration. From there he made small boxes for Jasper, Carlisle, Alice, Emmett, Peter, and Eric, almost seeing the look of shock on the Corporal's face when he saw his own name on the box.

The evening was quiet, as Edward sat in his den and wrote the letters he would be mailing the following day with a large number of his packages. Edward wouldn't send them all the same day, because then Corporal Yorkie would be weighed down with that many, but the package for the camp, the little ones for his friends and the first to Bella would all be at the Post Office before he went to the practice.

Meanwhile, Bella sat in her tent, furiously knitting a woolen cap to go with the scarf she had planned. Scarves were easier to make, so if she got the cap done quickly, she knew that her package could make it into the mail so that Edward would receive it for Christmas. Her mother now had the list she asked her to purchase for Edward using the money she'd told her to hold back for just such a purpose, her only hope was that Edward would like the items.

An announcement brought with it the call of more wounded, so Bella stashed her project and got to work. With the next day being Thanksgiving, the promise of actual turkey had the camp working harder to make sure they'd actually have the time to enjoy it. For once their supply line hadn't been cut and the mail was already starting to get a little heavy for the Corporal. Bella's mother was one to send Christmas gifts early, so she didn't forget in the rush of December, leading to Bella having a nice collection of packages around Valentine's Day.

As time came and went alongside the operating tables, the cook started his work on the turkeys. The wounded were finally bedded down around ten am Thanksgiving morning, allowing the camp some shut-eye before the feast that evening.

When dinner came, Bella sat between the Colonel and Major Whitlock, thinking about how Edward was spending his holiday with her parents on the Reservation, as was their tradition. It made her happy to think that he was with them when she couldn't be.

Yet, Edward wasn't down at La Push as Bella had imagined. He'd agreed to work the day at the hospital so those who had families could enjoy their holiday. It was an additional shift, but as he wasn't in full ownership of the practice yet, he didn't mind pitching in, and the extra set of hands in the ER were always appreciated.

Renee had tried to persuade him to come over, but he used the hospital as an excuse to cover up his rotten mood. He didn't feel like celebrating when his wife was half a world away, and all of the holiday prep had just shown him how much he missed her. As if he wasn't already aware of it.

But, his letters remained the heartfelt proclamations of love mixed in with details of everyday life. He was her connection to civilization, and he wouldn't mar that for her.

Renee, however, was starting to worry about her son-in-law, and when she heard him mention working a double shift on Christmas Eve and Day, she took action into her own hands. Double checking the math on what time it would be in Korea, she placed the call, hoping that it would be able to connect. Long moments passed as it was patched through to San Francisco, then Honolulu, then Tokyo, and finally Seoul. She held her breath as the ringing sounded in her ear.

"MASH 8076," the voice on the other side answered.

"Yes, this is Renee Swan, I'm calling to speak to my daughter, Captain Masen," Renee released the breath she'd been holding as the man told her to hold on a minute.

There was terrible static, and she was having trouble determining if she was still connected, but soon enough, the rustling let her knew someone was back.

"Mom?" Bella asked, shocked that she was receiving her first phone call in over a year.

"Yes, Bella, I know we don't have much time, but I need your help with Edward." Renee got right to the point.

"Oh my, God, did something happen to him?" Bella was immediately terrified for her husband.

"He's fine physically, Dear, but he's withdrawn. He worked instead of spending Thanksgiving with us at the Reservation, and he's talking about working a double shift over Christmas. I know that he's done his shopping and sent you off gifts, but the house isn't decorated and he's not getting into the holiday spirit. I know it's difficult to be separated on your first Christmas as husband and wife, but something has to be done."

"Let me handle it, Mom. It's six pm there, right?" Bella asked.

"A little after, yes. He was working at the practice today so he should be home now," Renee offered.

"Thanks, Mom. And do me a favor and get him a tree. I hate to think of him sitting in an empty house with no sign of Christmas anywhere."

"I will, love you."

"Love you too, Mom. Give my best to Daddy." The line went dead a moment later, and Bella called the Corporal back.

"I need you to place a call to Seattle 7-7289," she told Eric when he reentered. Bella waited in the office while he patched the call through, the miracle of it only taking twenty minutes to make it to the US not lost on her.

"They're patching you through to the house, Ma'am. But you'll only have about five minutes," Corporal Yorkie told her as he left to give her some privacy.

"Masen residence," Edward's voice broke through the crackling static, causing his wife to lose her voice as a strangled sob escaped her. "Hello?"

"Goodness, I've missed your voice, Edward." Bella finally managed and it was Edward's turn to start crying.

"Bella? What…how…is everything all right? I haven't received any word from the army, but-"

"I'm fine, Darling. This call is about your welfare, husband," Bella told him.

"My welfare? What do you mean?" Edward asked.

"I just got a phone call from my mother, telling me that you didn't go to La Push with them for Thanksgiving and you're trying to get shifts at the hospital for Christmas. What I don't understand is why? You moved to Seattle to be closer to my family, to the things and people that I love, and yet you're shutting them out." Bella cried harder, angry at herself for letting her emotions overtake her when they only had moments to talk, but it was too much to hear his voice and know that he was suffering without her.

"Please don't cry, Sweetheart. It's just that last Christmas was the first time that I truly enjoyed my holiday, because I had you with me. My mother tried to make the holidays special, but my father always found a way to damper my spirits. A part of me hoped the war would be over and we'd be reunited by now, but the reality that we could be facing a much longer separation is setting in and it makes me want to burrow my head in the ground a little. I don't want a tree that you didn't decorate, and I won't have any gifts below the tree, so there doesn't seem to be a point this year."

"I need to know that you're still living, Edward. That your life is full and joyful, even without me there to add to it. You can have your somber moments, but you're also bringing a bit of me with you when you celebrate with my family. You're the one with stories of what Christmas will be like for me here, and there will be gifts under your tree, because my mother has a list and a bit of my money to ensure that you receive exactly what I would have given you had I been there."

"I love you, Bella. With my whole heart," Edward whispered as he tried to reign in his emotions.

"And I love you, Edward. Please try and celebrate a little. I will be sure to write you all about our party at the Mess Tent and the reactions I have to your gifts. I hope you didn't go overboard, Edward."

Chuckling, Edward remarked, "Tell the Corporal that I'll be happy to perform his hernia operation."

"Oh, Edward." She laughed, but when the static grew worse she knew there time was running out. "Darling, I think we're running out of time on this call, but know that I love you and I will be counting the days until I'm walking off the plane in Seattle."

"I'm counting right along with you, Bella. And I will write you a long letter about Christmas with your family, I promise, my love."

"Goodbye, Edward," she whispered.

"Goodbye, Mrs. Masen," Edward replied just before the line went dead.

Edward stood for another moment, still holding the phone as he thought about what had just happened. Bella had called from the middle of a warzone because he was pouting like a child. That would stop now. Getting ready for a busy day of patients, Edward decided to turn in early, knowing that he would have a lot to do the following day.

Waking up the next morning was a little easier, and after a shower and a shave, Edward got dressed and ready for his day. He knew of a few places to shop for his Christmas decorations, and would do so after he finished with his patients. The cold and flu were common diagnoses for Edward as he worked through the day, but as he wrote out his last prescription to the young man who was leaving the office, Edward turned his mind to his evening plans.

Going to various little Christmas shops, Edward found a selection of glass ornaments for the tree. Some of them were simply colored balls, while others were hand-painted with designs and scenes, or were shaped by the glass blowers who had toiled on the pieces. Edward bought enough to fill the tree sparsely, but not leave it too barren looking.

After a stop at the hardware store, and another to the grocery, Edward finally pulled into a lot selling trees. It didn't take him long to find a healthy-looking tree, and once it was paid for the man helped to strap it onto the roof of Edward's car for the drive home.

Once he was home, Edward set up the tree stand and then carried in the tree, watering it and making sure it was secure in the base. With the ornaments still in the bags, Edward went to the kitchen to start popping the popcorn.

With all of his supplies laid out before him, Edward fetched himself a beer as he set out to string popcorn and cranberries onto separate garlands. It took a lot of patience, but his medical background served him well as he worked in 4-foot sections, tying them together as he went, working through nearly ten pounds of cranberries and the same amount of popcorn.

The radio had given Edward a distraction from the amount of time that had passed, but soon his tree was laced with his garlands and the tinsel was hanging from the boughs. Edward was about to hang the first ornament when there was a knock on the door.

"Good evening, Renee," Edward said as he let his mother-in-law in.

"Hello, Edward. I hope you don't mind, but I brought you some supper. I wasn't sure if you'd eaten and as I was stopping by-" Renee stopped as she looked at the tree. "Oh, Edward, that looks lovely."

"I've been busy since I received a particular phone call yesterday from Mrs. Masen," Edward said as he took the plate from Renee.

"I'm sorry for interfering, but I did it out of concern."

"I know, Renee. And it meant that I got to hear my angel's voice, so you're forgiven this time," Edward told her with a smile as he sat down to eat.

"Why don't you let me decorate the tree while you eat and then we can see what else you need," Renee offered, but Edward stopped her.

"I have everything that I'll need-" Edward tried to tell her, but Renee cut him off.

"Those won't fill out the three, it'll be sparse."

"I want Bella to be able to add to these decorations next year. The tree doesn't need to be bursting with ornaments, Renee, it will do just fine."

"Well, let me at least get you the tree skirt that Bella made a few years ago. It's out in the car," Renee said as she ran out to the car, returning with the item.

Edward let his mother-in-law finish off the tree as he enjoyed the meal. It was plain food, but good. When he entered the living room, he was surprised to see gifts under the tree. "Renee, what is all of that?"

"Your gifts from Bella. I didn't see a reason to withhold them from you, but you must promise to wait until Christmas to open them."

"I will, Renee, thank you for looking out for me," Edward said.

"For my little girl, I'd do anything."

And that little girl sat in her tent, staring at boxes she'd been instructed not to open because the one package that would make everything make sense hadn't arrived yet. Bella's tent was the setting for the little party to open presents from home, quite a few coming from a certain former Captain they all knew. Bella had already written a letter to her mother-in-law, Elizabeth, to thank her for the thoughtful gift. The mystery novels had her very excited for a bit of free time to read them, and the socks and unmentionables allowed her to get rid of a few garments that had seen better days.

The officers began to come in, Garrett bringing in his packages from home to feel included as the Corporal carried in two boxes. "Ma'am, I think these are the missing pieces to your present puzzle."

"Perfect timing, now just run along and get the package Edward sent you and one of the ones from your mother if you have any unopened and join us," Bella said as she took the boxes from him.

"It's okay, Ma'am, I'll open it when I get a chance later," Eric started, but Bella cut him off.

"Nonsense, Emmett is joining us as well, and Edward will want to know what your reaction was to his package. You have to join us."

Relenting, Eric went to get his package while the others arrived. With the tent filled, they went around the room and displayed their gifts. Everyone laughed at the little joke gifts Edward threw into their boxes along with bits of supplies and items they might enjoy, but before it was Bella's turn to open her first box, she deferred to Eric, who tore at the paper to reveal undershirts and socks, some candy and a few razors and to Bella's surprise, a hardcover book. Eric lifted it from the box and opened it to the front, reading the note Edward had written in it.

"Eric, this book was one I enjoyed reading when it first came out in 1945. I know you were too young to read it then, but this is a book worthy of the man I watched grow up in the hell we call Korea. Never sell yourself short, because there are only a few people who will defend you from yourself. Mrs. Masen and I are two of those people, as I'm sure the Captain is proving often. I hope this book brings you as much joy as it has me. Your friend, Edward Masen."

Eric closed the book cover and looked to Bella as she asked, "What's the book, Eric?"

"Animal Farm," he responded.

"It's a good choice for you, you'll be able to read a lot more into the hierarchy since you grew up on a farm," Bella told him, noticing his tears.

"All of you are the only ones to look at me different, like I was something more than I am. I'm not used to it, but all of you have given me the confidence to be the man you admire, so thank you for that faith."

"You deserve it, Corporal, you're the one keeping us afloat here," Jasper chimed in as Eric tucked the book safely back into his box.

"Your turn, Ma'am, let's see what's in box number one," Eric prodded and Bella threw a pillow at him.

Moving to the largest box, Bella unwrapped the blanket from the collection of presents tucked in the bottom fold. Not bothering with what she knew was clothing, Bella pulled out one of the two boxes in there. The first she opened to reveal some yarn for her to work with now that she had the time, but as the lid came off the second box, she gasped.

"What did he do?" Jasper asked.

"He bought me a camera," Bella said, holding it up.

"Oh, that's great! Now you can take pictures whenever you want, instead of having to find me to borrow mine," Alice said as she inspected the latest model.

"Yes, it's perfect," Bella said as she remembered the last time she'd used a camera, how Edward had been there with her.

"Bella?" Carlisle asked.

"Just being sentimental," Bella answered the unasked question.

"Well, we'll leave you to your evening, I'm sure you have a letter to write after you finish opening the rest of your gifts," Carlisle said as she hugged him and wished them all pleasant evenings.

Bella was quick to open the remainder of her gifts, smiling at how Edward had spoiled her, making sure she had plenty of clean undergarments and long johns to get her through the frigid weather. There was even a winter coat in the other large package. It also had a blanket, so that made two that he'd sent her for her bed. The little odds and end, books and candy from Frederick and Nelson's all brought a smile to her face. He'd sent her stationary, as she'd told him that she was running low, and she couldn't help but tear up at the fact that it had 'From the desk of Isabella M. Masen' printed across the top. Taking one of those pages, she sat down to write him a letter.

_December 10, 1952_

_Dear Edward,_

_Tonight we had a little get together in our tent, where we opened our gifts from home, including all of the items you'd sent everyone. I'm sure you'll hear it from their letters, but your gifts were greatly appreciated, none more than the book you gave to Eric. He was deeply touched by your kind words and thoughtful gift, as was I. I'm truly a fortunate woman._

_I'm grateful for the camera, and the books you sent will go along nicely with the ones sent by both of our mothers. It seems I'm well-known as a bookworm, but having something new to read will be a nice break from the mud and muck and surgery._

_I may have gone into nursing with grand ideas because of what the future held for me otherwise, but I think being Mrs. Edward Masen will be plenty to fill up my plate when I return. Maybe I can work with you at your practice if you'd want that, but it is your decision, my love._

_I cannot wait to receive a letter from you after you open your presents, which are hopefully now under a tree at our house. It's my wish that you enjoy them as much as I will your generous offerings. Those long johns will certainly come in handy!_

_Thinking of Christmas here reminds me of last year, and the medal that is still hanging around my neck. I honestly believe that your love has kept me safe all the time I've been here and as we move into a new year, it is my wish that it is our last one apart._

_I will write again tomorrow, but for now, please take care and have a very Merry Christmas, my husband._

_Your loving wife,_

_Isabella Masen_

Edward closed the letter from Bella dated December 10th, pleased as punch to have received it on Christmas Eve. The next day would be spent in the company of her family, so with his dinner eaten and his dishes washed, Edward ventured into the living room to investigate her gifts.

There were six items sitting under the tree, one of which looked poorly wrapped in comparison to the others. Leaving that mystery to the side for the moment, Edward did as he had as a child and started with the largest package. Tearing the paper off the box, he opened it with a hearty laugh as he lifted the box to reveal a fishing pole similar to the one he had purchased for Charlie. Inside the box was a note.

_Edward,_

_You used to talk about how you had wanted to learn how to fish, but it wasn't something your father had the time or the patience for. Well, if you haven't discovered by now, it's one of the Chief's favorite hobbies. Maybe this will help you learn how to fish with him and give you something to bond over._

_Bella_

Realizing that there was a chance for more of her words along with her gifts, Edward moved onto the second one. Inside was another note from Bella explaining the records she'd bought for their new phonograph. Another smile spread across his face as he thought about how closely she'd looked at the pictures.

The other three gifts were normal fare, a nice winter coat, some Old Spice, and a few of their wedding pictures blown up from the negatives that Edward had brought home and framed nicely. The day Renee had asked to borrow the negatives so she could get prints of her daughter's wedding photos came back to him as he realized that she had wanted them for more than that.

The last present was now calling to him, and as Edward opened it, he gasped at the brown parcel inside. He tore through the mailing wrapper to the box inside, lifting the woolen cap and scarf from the newspaper. Inside there was a stack of letters and a bundle of photos, but the little note telling him that this was as close to being beside him as she could get was all that held his attention. The scarf and hat had been knitted to keep him warm in the wet winter that would grace the Pacific Northwest. Even from 6000 miles away, she managed to take care of him.

Edward took care to put away his gifts, taking the letters and photographs up to the master bedroom so that he could enjoy them until he fell asleep.

The following morning, Edward was up shoveling the snow that had fallen overnight before going in to make himself breakfast. In the past five months, Edward had realized that the only meal he could cook well was breakfast, so when the time came that Bella returned to him, he would gladly hand over the kitchen to her, with the exception of a few breakfasts a month that he would pitch in to give her a break.

Showering and putting on his Sunday best, Edward gathered the gifts he had and got into his car for the three hour drive out to Forks. Christmas music dominated the radio, reminding Edward of a sweet little performance Bella had given a year ago in Post-Op to bring a smile to Embry's face. It made him sad to think of her still being there for Christmas.

It was just after one when he pulled into the Swan house to see that Rachel and Rebecca were already there. The door opened in greeting as the Chief walked out to help Edward with the presents.

"You have quite a load of presents here, Son," Charlie said as they entered the house.

"I had to get everyone something from Bella and I," Edward told him as they set the presents down beside the tree.

"Edward, come join us for a minute," Rachel called as Renee walked in from the kitchen.

"Merry Christmas, Mom," he whispered as they embraced.

"Merry Christmas, Son," she said back as they entered the small living room.

"We hate to have to gift and run, but we really need to get back and help Sue with dinner," Rebecca explained as she held out a box for him.

"I understand, and if you grab those shirt boxes there and the two smaller packages on top, you can open your gifts too," Edward told them.

"You didn't have to buy us anything, Edward," Rachel told him.

"And you didn't have to do this, now open it," he urged.

The girls both tore at the smaller packages first; giggling when they revealed the candy he'd purchased them. From there they opened the larger boxes, gasping at the fabric and notions inside.

"I know that the two of you make a fair amount of your clothes, so I got you enough fabric to make yourselves a couple of nice dresses, with some help from a sales girl so I didn't make a mistake," Edward admitted.

"This was so thoughtful, Edward," Rachel told him as they looked at the package in his hands.

Edward took the hint and tore through the paper, looking puzzled at the record sleeves with the handwritten song titles on them.

"What is this?" Edward asked.

"About five years ago, Jake and the boys dragged Bella to this store in Port Angeles that had one of those Voice-O-Graph record booths, they paid for her to record those two records and Jake's had them ever since. One is 'I'll Be Home for Christmas' and 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas', and the other record is 'Don't Get Around Much Anymore' and 'I'll Be Seeing You'."

Edward looked down at the albums in his hands, knowing they were once Jake's prized possessions and now his sisters were passing them on to him. "This means more to me than you could ever know."

"We have some idea," Rebecca said as they stood up and embraced, issuing a round of 'Merry Christmases' before the girls left.

In Korea, Bella was sitting in the Mess Tent, drinking a beer as the nurses danced with the many men that were waiting for their turn around the floor. The feast had been enjoyed, the gifts had been opened and the group took the opportunity to cut loose while the Christmas truce was still on. She was so caught up in watching Alice and Jasper do the jitterbug that she didn't notice Garrett sit down beside her on the table.

"Can I have a dance, Captain?" Garrett asked with a smirk.

"I don't know if that's a good idea," she said, fearing injuring his feet more than she might normally thanks to the alcohol.

Taking it the wrong way, Garrett asked Bella a question. "Did the Colonel ever tell you why I wasn't assigned to his unit from the start?"

"No, it's never come up," Bella told him.

"There was a nurse here that I couldn't work with because of a pesky army regulation about not working in the same unit as your spouse, so I asked Carlisle to see if he could get her as one of his nurses and I'd go to another unit. She was here for a year before they rotated her home; in fact, you met her on your first day in Korea. You were her replacement. So you see, I'm not like the creep that was here before, or any of the slimeballs you may have dealt with back home. I'm just a guy trying to make friends with the people I've been assigned to work with." Garrett tried to storm off, but Bella caught his arm.

"Captain, when I told you it wasn't a good idea for us to dance, it had nothing to do with my opinion of you. You see, I'm a terrible dancer sober, but after a few beers you might wind up in traction after a turn on the floor with me."

Barking out a laugh, Garrett relaxed at Nurse Masen's explanation. "My Katie isn't that great of a dancer either, so I've perfected a method of dodging heels and toes. The offer still stands if you'd like to give it a try."

Happy to finally see a jovial side of Garrett come out, she took his hand. "I'd love to."

Jasper made sure to cut in once he saw the wallflower had been pried from the table, and soon, Bella was the most popular dance partner. The party went on until late in the evening, with Christmas carols being sung and joy shared by the group. They were well aware that the war would intrude on their solitude before too long. It always did.


	14. Grave Mistake

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Please know that this is something that happened way too frequently during not only the wars in the first half of the last century, but it still occurs today. This was important for the story and not done simply to be cruel to my MASHward. Tissue warning is needed on this one.

Also, I shout out to Irish_charm who reviewed the story, bringing in review #25 of twcs.

Chapter 14 – Grave Mistake

As the New Year began, life moved on for both Edward and Bella. The war was continuing the gain intensity as both sides tried to break the stalemate they had been in for much of the last eighteen months.

The area around the camp saw a lot of activity, and a move was required to keep them out of harm's way for a time. Yet as the wounded kept on coming, it seemed that harm was sure to find them either way.

Bella and Garrett were working on triage with a few other nurses and the corpsmen, readying the men for surgery just after eleven on the night of January twenty-second. They'd had a total of fourteen come in off of one hill in a small skirmish, but that just meant a little break between this group and the big push later that evening.

Of the fourteen men brought in, half of them were now either in Pre-Op waiting for their turn in the OR, or had been declared DOA and the others were being evaluated so that they could take their place in line. Garrett gave his final set of instructions and was making his way inside when the shooting began. No one could tell the direction of the attack, but a feminine scream let the camp know that they'd hit a target.

Dr. Reese turned around to see Nurse Masen lying on her back, crying out in pain as her left pant leg turned a familiar dark red. Without thinking, he ran the ten yards to where she lay out in the compound and dragged her back inside.

The Corporal was already radioing in the sniper attack as Alice ran over to help get Bella on a gurney. Her pants were cut to reveal the bullet wound and a pressure bandage was put on, helping to control the bleeding until someone could get to her.

"Bella, oh my goodness! Don't worry about anything, I'll get Jasper over here right away." Alice went to run off, but Bella stopped her.

"We got fourteen men wounded a lot worse than I am, so let him do his work, and you get into that OR, that's an order," Bella commanded, only to see the Colonel come into the room.

"Alice, take Bella in for an x-ray as soon as two orderlies become available, and in the meantime, check for any arterial or nerve damage," Carlisle said, ending any discussion.

"I'm going to have to put a little more pressure on the wound, so please let me know if the pain becomes too much," Alice told her as she checked for a femoral and distal pulse. "Can you feel this?" Alice asked as she tested the nerve and motor function in Bella's leg.

"That hurts like hell, Alice," Bella grunted out as she moved her leg away from Alice, further proving that her muscle and nerve function was intact.

Emmett and Eric brought Bella to radiology for an x-ray and then returned her to Pre-Op where Alice was waiting. "Shouldn't you helping in the OR?"

"No, you're my patient, and as soon as we get the x-rays back we'll know where we're going from here," Alice explained as Peter popped in to see how she was doing.

"How did the tests go?" he asked.

"Strong pulse and plenty of feeling and movement," Alice answered as Bella slumped further into the gurney.

"That's promising news; give her a dose of antibiotics and a tetanus shot, so she's ready when we go to take care of the wound," Peter said with a smile before returning to the OR.

Gurneys came and went, leading Bella to ask Alice about the status of the patients.

"Three were DOA, as you know, and another two were beyond saving once they got into the OR. They just brought in a new round of patients into the OR, and the four they had been working on are now in Post-Op. The patient over there is receiving fluids and blood until they're ready for him, and then we have you."

Alice cleaned and prepared her wound for her procedure, and just as Bella was about to try and relax again, Jasper walked into Pre-Op. "Nurse Brandon, take the end of that gurney, we're ready for Nurse Masen in OR."

"Did something happen to one of the soldiers in there?" Bella asked.

"No, but it will be a little while before my patient's fully under and ready for me, so I thought I would remove the bullet from your leg, if you don't mind?"

"You're sure about removing it?" Bella asked him.

"It's a fragmented bullet sitting on the anterior part of the thigh. It didn't do much damage, but if those fragments get any ideas they could nick a nerve or an artery. With the bullet entering from the inside of your thigh, you're lucky that it was missed on the way in. There are three fragments to get out, so as soon as the local kicks in we'll begin."

"What local?"

"The one I gave you while you were asleep," Alice explained. "You were only out for a minute, the needle seemed to rouse you."

Jasper put on a fresh set of gloves, as did Alice, and the pair of them got to work. "This bullet didn't go very deep, so the sniper was likely a good distance away. We'll have you all patched up in no time."

Jasper worked quietly for a time, pulling out the shards of bullet until the third clink of metal on metal told Bella that he was done.

"Alice, dress the wound and get Bella into a bed in Post-Op, I've got to move back to my patient," Jasper said as he pulled off his gloves. "You're going to be on your back for a while, so I hope Edward can send you something to read."

Bella groaned as the corpsmen rolled her into the hallway and then carried her to Post-Op. The call for more wounded came just as they had her settled, but Alice was quick to keep her in bed. "I brought you a book and your stationary. It would be better if Edward got this letter sooner rather than later."

"Oh, God, Edward. He's going to be worried sick when he finds out about this." Bella thought about her husband and picked up her stationary set to begin writing him a letter.

At some point after she sealed the envelope, Bella fell asleep for a while, waking up when Nurse Webber came to change her bandages. "Sorry to wake you, Ma'am."

"That's all right, Angela," Bella told her as she tried to sit up a little. "Since I wasn't given anesthesia, is it possible to have some breakfast?"

"I'll have some brought in for you as soon as Dr. Reese does rounds," Angela promised as she replaced the bandage. "Would you like some help changing into fresh clothes? Alice brought them by, and we have the privacy of the curtain."

"I hate to be a bother, but could you help me with a sponge bath as well?" Bella asked and Angela smiled.

"Of course, Ma'am. I'll get my supplies and we can be started in a few."

After getting cleaned up, Bella was resting as comfortably as possible in bed when Garrett came around to do rounds with the Colonel.

"And last, but certainly not least, we have the Captain, who is healing quite well. She has no sign of fever and no visible infection at the entry wound. Now that she's awake we can take a culture to make sure there's no underlying sign of infection, but if everything remains as it has been, we can give the wound another day or two and then the Major can close it up."

"How are you feeling this morning, Captain?" Carlisle asked.

"A little more human than when I fell asleep, but what I'd really like to know is when I might be able to get back to work," Bella told the men standing at the foot of her hospital bed.

"Nurse Masen, you know as well as anyone here that even without doing serious structural damage to your leg, it's going to be several weeks before you're able to get back to work," the Colonel told her.

"You make that sound as if weeks should be changed to months, Colonel. If I'm going to be on my butt for the next two months then ship me home," Bella countered.

"Don't take it that far, Captain," he joked back.

Back in Seattle, Edward woke up with a start on January twenty-second, it was before his alarm was set to go off, and he couldn't shake the bad feeling that was hounding him. He went about his day, stopping by the practice to drop off his latest monthly payment. Edward thought about the day it was Bella and him running his practice with a smile, she'd be the perfect person to work beside him.

Edward went through the next few days with a sinking feeling before he learned the cause of it. Edward had just sat down to dinner when there was a knock on the door. Opening it, Edward saw the young man before him with the small brown envelope.

"Are you Dr. Edward Masen?" the young man asked.

"I am," Edward whispered.

"This telegram is for you, if you could just sign here." The kid handed Edward the clipboard, which he quickly signed and reached into his pocket for a tip so he could get the kid back on his way and Edward could go inside to read whatever the word was on his wife.

Closing the door behind him, Edward sat down in the living room and opened the telegram.

_DR EDWARD MASEN  
4612 58TH AVE NE SEATTLE WA_

_I REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR WIFE HAS DIED DUE TO INJURIES RECEIVED DURING A SNIPER ATTACK ON MASH UNIT 8076 ON JANUARY TWENTY SECOND STOP LETTER FOLLOWS STOP THE DECEASED IS BEING RECOVERED FROM HER UNIT AND THE BODY WILL BE SHIPPED FROM MOJI TO EVERGREEN WASHELLI FUNERAL HOME IN SEATTLE WA ON OR ABOUT FEBRUARY FIFTEENTH STOP FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE MADE BY CONTACTING THE FUNERAL HOME STOP MY DEEPEST SYMPATHY IS EXTENDED TO YOU AND MEMBERS OF THE DECEDENTS FAMILY AT THIS TIME END_

Edward couldn't catch his breath as his eyes read over the words again. Dead. His Bella was gone.

"Oh, God," he cried, picking up his phone to call the Chief, unsure if they were notified as well, or if he took their spot as next of kin.

"Forks Police Department, this is Chief Swan," Charlie said and a sob escaped Edward's throat. "I can't understand you, repeat that?"

"Charlie, it's Edward," was all he could get out before the Chief took over.

"Son, we'll be there as fast as my cruiser can drive."

Edward wasn't sure how long he laid there on the floor, only realizing he'd collapsed from the chair when he went to hang up the phone. The door opened and the motherly warmth of his mother-in-law was surrounding him as the offending scrap of paper was pried from his hand.

"Renee, I'm going to make some calls, why don't you see about something for Edward to eat," the Chief said, but Edward muttered an 'I'm not hungry' before trudging up the stairs.

Just like he'd done every night since he'd received them, Edward changed for bed and put on the record of Bella singing. The tears came in earnest now as he listened to his angel's voice.

Time passed for Edward in a fog. Renee made meals he couldn't eat, Charlie came by after his shift, bringing his wife some more of her belongings so that she would be able to stay as long as was necessary. Edward felt terrible that he had been so useless to his in-laws, who he knew were suffering right along with him, but without his Bella, Edward didn't have the strength to care. It wasn't until another voice reached out to him from the doorway that it all became real to him.

"Oh, my sweet boy," Elizabeth cried as she ran to her son's bedside and threw her arms around him.

"She's gone, Mom. My angel's gone," he wailed. "I shouldn't have left her there. I should have extended my tour and been there to keep her safe."

"Edward, you can't protect people one hundred percent of the time. And if you had been there, you would have taken the bullet for Bella, and it would be her that would be devastated, wishing that she'd been the one to die instead. Would you want to be the reason she felt that kind of pain?"

"Absolutely not," Edward replied emphatically.

"And neither would she. I know you don't want to do it, Edward, but you have to get out of this bed. You need to begin to prepare her funeral arrangements. Renee is downstairs making dinner, why don't you clean up and join us?"

Nodding, Edward stood up and sighed as he looked around the room. "What do I do, Mom? Everything I did was for her and now…"

"We can figure that out tomorrow, for now I want to get you fed."

While Edward grappled with his grief, Bella fought her boredom from her hospital bed. "Can't I be moved back into my tent, Major?"

"I'm sorry, Bella, but until the wound is fully healed we need you in here."

"That will be another week," Bella moaned as there was a commotion coming from the area of the office. "What in the heck is that?"

"I don't know, but I'm sure we'll hear about it soon enough," Jasper remarked. Just as he'd predicted, Corporal Yorkie came running in and made a B line for the Major.

"Major, Captain, I swear I didn't do it. I pulled the reports that I sent and everything was listed correctly."

"Calm down, Corporal, whatever's wrong can be straightened out." Bella tried to soothe him, but he shook his head.

"It isn't that simple, Ma'am. There's a bus here to pick you up, and we can't figure out where the screw up came from," Eric told her.

"A bus? What, are they EVACing me somewhere?" Bella asked.

"I don't care what your sheet says, Captain Masen is alive and well in Post-Op," the Colonel yelled as he led a young Lieutenant towards Bella's bed. "This is Captain Isabella Masen."

"That can't be, she's not dead," the kid exclaimed.

"Why would you think I was dead?" Bella yelled.

"You're on my list, I've got you're death certificate and everything," he explained, handing it to Bella.

"When would next of kin be notified?" Bella asked.

"The death certificate was issued from I-Corps when they saw that one hadn't been sent along with the paperwork from your unit. So that was issued the twenty-fourth here so the telegram was probably delivered on the evening of the twenty-fourth back home."

"So he was notified three days ago? Why is it that you're only showing up now?" Jasper asked, enraged at the screw up.

"For the past three days there has been heavy shelling in the area, so the Quartermaster Corps just gave me the okay to resume my Morgue Detail," the man explained.

"Corporal," Carlisle said, catching everyone's attention. "Go with the Lieutenant and a few corpsmen to get the remaining soldiers on the list so that he can return to his rounds. I'll place a call to I-Corps about this screw up."

"Carlisle, I have to get word to Edward. He's spent the last two days thinking I'm dead," Bella pleaded.

"I-Corps may be able to send another telegram to fix their foul up, let me handle this," Carlisle offered as he left with the other men.

"Don't worry, Bella, Carlisle will fix this," Jasper tried to reassure her, but she just closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.

It was a few hours later that Carlisle returned to Bella with some bad news. "Bella, I-Corps won't send any word to Edward until the paperwork has been filed and they've updated the records. They're sending someone tomorrow morning to start the process of correcting this issue."

"What about contacting Edward ourselves?" Bella asked.

"Eric's trying, but the lines are a mess and there's something in Honolulu that is causing a problem for calls and wires. But he isn't giving up, Bella."

"Thank you, Carlisle, I know that you're all trying."

Edward went through the motions at dinner, Charlie mentioning that he worked the evening shift the following day and Edward began to worry about how he'd abandoned his own job and patients.

"Don't worry, Dear, Charlie called them and let them know what the situation was. Dr. Douglas was very understanding, and the hospital said to take all the time you needed," Renee explained, much to Edward's embarrassment.

That night as Edward went to sleep, he thought about the Chief and how he was handling this situation like a real man. He wasn't folding under the emotions he was feeling. Edward made a silent promise to pull it together and begin making inquiries into the funeral arrangements in the morning.

When the morning came, Edward changed and joined his mother and in-laws for breakfast before placing his first call.

"Thank you for calling Evergreen Washelli Funeral Home, how may I help you?" a cheery voice said.

"My name is Dr. Masen, my wife Isabella was a Captain with the US Army. She was killed in action and according to the telegram I received her remains were leaving Moji yesterday on their way here. I was calling to find out when I may begin making arrangements and if you had any information on when she would arrive."

There was some shuffling on the line before the woman returned. "We received a list from the War Department of those soldiers that were killed in action and expected to be transported here. Captain Masen was on the list of remains that we would be receiving, but it isn't a fast process. It can take up to a month for the remains to arrive back in the US, and she is scheduled to be on a ship in mid-February. The journey is five days by boat and then another day by train once she arrives in San Francisco. If you would like to schedule an appointment to make the arrangements now, we can do that, so when she does arrive it will simply be a matter of picking the date of the services and handling any last minute details."

"I think I'd like to hold off at least for a few more days, but knowing that I can begin as soon as I'm ready is enough, thank you, Ma'am."

"You're welcome, Doctor, and I'm sorry for your loss."

Hanging up the phone, Edward called the military contact he'd been given from the VA, and tried to dig through the military paperwork.

"I'm sorry, Sir, but I have a list of newly KIA soldiers and your wife is on it, but I received a phone call this morning saying that there's been a hold on her file, so I'm unable to process anything until it is removed."

"Is that normal?" Edward asked.

"No, and I'm sorry, but I'm unable to give you any more information than that," the man said, dismissing Edward soundly.

"I can't get anyone to give me a straight answer about my wife, and you want me to believe you're sorry? Well save your 'sorrys' for someone who believes you." The phone slammed down on the receiver a moment before Edward was requesting another call be made to Washington DC.

"Edward, isn't this a pleasant surprise," Rosalie greeted him before he gave her the bad news. "Oh, Edward, I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do?"

"Yes, there is. Bella won't be arriving in the States for another month and she's listed as killed, but they won't let me start any of the paperwork with the Army. I can't get the forms for her survivor benefits, or any commendations she might receive, it's like getting blood from a stone."

"Don't you worry, Edward. I've made some friends in Washington and I'm still a Major in the United States Army. I will get your answers, just give me some time."

"Thank you, Rosalie, I knew that you would do what you could for Bella," Edward said, finally allowing some of the tension to leave his body.

"You both deserve the closure. And I'm sorry that your lives together were cut short. You made her unbelievably happy," Rosalie offered him a little kindness.

"I'll be waiting for your call, Rosalie. Thank you again."

Edward hung up the phone and looked up to see the Chief eyeing him closely. "Are you okay?" Charlie asked.

"Yes. And I'm sorry for how I've been acting, Sir. I'm sure you don't think too highly of me for getting so emotional and allowing it to keep me from my life, but I was planning on decades with her, and I didn't even get months," Edward explained.

"Not everyone is built the same, Edward, and you have to understand that. Your generation is more free with their emotions than mine is, and with a mother like Elizabeth I can see where you get it from. Don't apologize for being devoted to my daughter. I'm glad that she had someone as loving as you in her life, Son."

"Thank you, Chief," Edward said.

"Call me Charlie, Son, I've told you that before."

While Edward waited from word from anyone, Bella sat in her hospital bed, completely frustrated at the lack of progress they had made. "Carlisle, it's been a day and a half. Where is this joker from HQ?"

"His chopper is landing any minute, and he will be in my office as soon as he is. In fact, I'm here to get you into a wheelchair so that you will be in the room when he discusses the work we need to do," Carlisle said as he offered her an arm, guiding her into the chair and draping one of the blankets Edward had given her for Christmas over her legs.

It was a short trip to the office, and soon after she was settled, a young Captain walked in with Eric. "Sir, Ma'am, this is Captain Biers just as you ordered."

"Thank you for making the special trip out, but this is a special circumstance here," the Colonel said.

"It isn't really as special as you would think," Captain Biers explained. "This sort of thing happens all the time."

"You're trying to tell me that the US Army regularly informs families of the deaths of their loved ones when they're still alive and fighting in the war?" Bella spat out angrily.

"There's a tremendous amount of paperwork being handled through our offices in Seoul and Tokyo, Nurse, and occasionally mistakes happen." Captain Biers bristled at her attitude.

"Well, we have a high volume here also, but you will never hear one of our doctors or nurses say that they saved twenty lives, what's the big deal botching one surgery," she answered, and Carlisle knew that he had to get in the middle of this before they got nothing out of the crude young man.

"This isn't a comparison, Captains, what I'm interested in is how we get Captain Masen put on this side of the veil in the army's book."

"That will take a bit of work," Captain Biers began. "First you will need Form 10/249 in triplicate, that's a request to rescind the death certificate. Secondly you'll need Form 63/EBY, a personal written report by a ranking officer that knows that the deceased is not deceased. Lastly, you will need Form SF/1107 signed by three officers of equal or higher rank. Mail those off to us with your daily reports once you have everything done and we'll being the process from there."

"And what happens to me in the meantime?" Bella asked.

"Since you are officially dead, there won't be any mail coming, or pay. Technically you wouldn't have to perform certain functions if you chose not to, but since you're recovering from your injuries that will cancel out any issue there with your pay once you're reinstated. You'll probably be contacted about replacing your head nurse in the next forty-eight hours if you haven't been already, and you can inform them that there was a clerical error and request a nurse to fill in for the Captain until she's capable again if you wish. What will happen when the paperwork makes it to the Quartermaster's Office is that they'll hold your mail in Seoul, instead of returning it to the sender, so that way you'll get the held mail immediately upon being reinstated. I would suggest having someone from home send you money care of another member of the camp that you trust, as it will likely take six to eight weeks for this to be handled."

"So in the eyes of the army I will be dead until April?" Bella fumed.

"That's how it works, sorry," he said, his tone saying that he was anything but.

Just as the Captain was about to leave, Corporal Yorkie walked in with a stack of papers and a cup of coffee for the Colonel. "Sorry for the delay, Sir, but the EVAC is complete. If you'd like, I could put the Captain up in the VIP tent until they're able to clear another chopper."

"Where's the chopper I arrived on?" Captain Biers yelled.

"It was used for the EVAC, that's the SOP here, Sir." Eric answered as the Captain turned a bright red.

"I don't care about the standard operating procedures; I care about the next chopper's ETA."

"It could be a few days, there's fighting going on and they recalled all the choppers nearly as soon as you arrived, the chopper pilot told me that if I had wounded to get them up there because he had three minutes to take off. He couldn't wait for the meeting to be over."

"This is outrageous," Biers fumed, but the damage was done.

"Well, Captain, you might as well get comfortable. Grab some food at the Mess and the Corporal will be by in a bit to show you to the VIP tent so you can settle in," Carlisle said, hiding his smile best he could.

Captain Biers stormed out and Bella looked at Eric in shock. "You did that on purpose."

"The chopper really couldn't wait, and I know how these pencil pushers work. I have to play their games with all of my reports, so holding him up so those papers arrive with him ensures that things get done quicker, and after the way he was talking when he first got in here, it's time he sees what the army is really like."

"You better hope that it doesn't backfire in my face," Bella thought out loud.

"Ma'am, his job is to explain the situation and get us the forms, which is what he did. They don't go to him, they go back to Quartermaster. Trust me, Ma'am, I wouldn't play with something like this if I didn't know all the possible ways it could blow up. Now, I'm going to start on these forms. Colonel, if you write your personal report, I'll type it out once I'm done with the other forms."

"Eric, you're a gem, and the next time I'm in Seoul or Tokyo, I'm gonna get you something to show my appreciation."

"You don't have to buy me anything, Ma'am, I'm just trying to make up for the fact that I can't get any information out to Dr. Masen. I feel like I'm failing you both."

"That's bull and you know it, Eric," Bella said. "If you could get one of the nurses on duty to return me to my bed, I'll leave you to your work."

The Corporal brought her back to Post-Op himself, leaving Bella with Nurse Brandon before he brought the irritated Captain Biers to his tent so that he could return to his work.

Within three hours, Eric had filled out the paperwork and had it waiting for a way to get it to Seoul. He was still trying to patch through some kind of call when there was a honk outside. Running to the door, he saw the laundry truck pull up and was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Are you the Company Clerk?" the driver asked.

"Yes, Sir," Eric answered as the man handed him a clipboard.

"Good, I've got the camp laundry and the ordered shower supplies. If you could sign here and then grab a few guys, we can get me back to Seoul."

"You work for the Quartermaster Corps, or did they just send a regular driver to make the delivery?" Eric asked.

"No, I'm Quartermaster, why do you ask?" the guy replied with a question of his own.

"I have some paperwork that has to make it to Graves Registration, if I gave it to you, would you be able to deliver it?"

"Sure thing, would I be able to rustle up something to eat while you grab it?" the guy asked.

"Absolutely, but I have one more favor to ask. We have a stranded Captain up here from HQ, would he be able to bum a ride with you?"

"If he's ready when I leave, he's welcome to come," the corpsman said.

"Great, let me get you some help," Eric said, finding a few enlisted men to unload the truck. Eric ran over to the VIP tent and knocked before Biers yelled for him to come in. "Sir, there's a supply truck in the compound. The driver said if you're ready in ten minutes when he's ready to head back then you can ride with him to Seoul."

"Tell him I'll be out there in seven," Captain Biers exclaimed as Eric went to fetch the paperwork.

"Make sure you deliver it personally, the Captain is mad about being stuck here and I'll be calling in the morning to check on its status for my Colonel," Eric explained as the guy took the folder and had him sign for the delivery.

"Got it, now where is the Captain?"

"I'm right here," Biers called.

"Safe trip back to both of you," Eric said without so much as a thank you from the Captain. Once his work was done, the Corporal went in search of Bella, finding the Colonel and Major Whitlock with her. "Ma'am, we just got the laundry delivery and the corpsman who delivered it has your packet to deliver to Graves Registration. I'll follow up on it in the morning, but we're on our way to straightening this all out."

"That's excellent news, Eric," Bella said as the Major helped her up and into a wheelchair.

"Are you going to the Mess Tent?" Eric asked.

"Better, I'm going back to my tent. My wound is nearly healed, so I've been given the freedom to enjoy my own room and begin light duty in a few days once I'm walking around more."

"Now that's excellent news," Eric repeated her own sentiment.

Bella was moved back to her tent, and Edward tried to return to his shifts at the hospital, seeing a few patients at the practice as well. Charlie had been right, he needed to return to his life, and this was the beginning of it.

He was seven hours into a twelve hour shift when he was paged to the nurses' station. Walking down the hall, he saw the nervous looking young girl behind the desk. "There's a Major Hale from Washington D.C. on the phone for you, Doctor."

Rushing to the phone, Edward picked up the receiver and began talking. "Rosalie, what did you find out?"

"She's alive, Edward," Rosalie told him, catching him completely off guard.

"What?"

"Bella was wounded in a sniper attack, but it was processed incorrectly when it got to HQ and someone added her name to the list that went to Graves Registration. But she submitted paperwork to rescind her death certificate and I was at lunch with the General and someone in charge over at the Quartermasters Corps in Washington when his clerk came in asking if they could send a telegram based on the one he got from Seoul, or if they had to wait for the documents to arrive and be processed before he contacted you. They mentioned it being a MASH nurse and I pounced, telling him that I could unofficially pass it along and ease the suffering of the next of kin until official word could be sent. Seeing as Bella could call you herself if the wires hadn't been damaged in Hawaii, he gave me the okay, but I can't give you any details."

"She's really alive? Oh, Rose, that's the best news. Thank you for everything."

"Don't thank me yet," she told him. "There was a call being placed to Seoul from his office, so I went along and got to talk to the Quartermaster General for Korea, he was patching his calls through a smaller Coast Guard Base in Hawaii. So he had his clerk patch me through to the 8076, and I was able to talk to the Colonel. Bella will be calling your house at seven-thirty local time tonight, so you better be waiting by the phone."

"Rosalie, there aren't word enough to thank you," Edward began, but Rosalie understood.

"I understand. My fiancé is back at that unit as well, so if I'd gotten word that something had happened to Emmett-"

"Sergeant McCarty?" Edward asked, shocked.

"We were going to get married when we were both given our orders. At our base we weren't in the same command chain, but when we found out that the army had put us together we never mentioned it to anyone, it was enough to have our stolen moments and to know with our own eyes that the other was safe."

"Take care, Rosalie, and thank you again," Edward said, knowing she had to return to work.

"You're welcome, and tell Bella to mention to Emmett that the sun is shining in the land of Dixie."

Guessing it was some type of message, he quickly agreed. If only he could occupy himself for the next five and a half hours.

By some miracle, time did seem to pass, and Edward was able to leave the hospital and make the drive home. What surprised him upon his arrival was a note on the kitchen table written by his mother.

_Edward,_

_I'm spending the night in Forks with the Swans so that you can have a little privacy. I will try to get a ride back with the Black girls, otherwise Renee will drive me back tomorrow afternoon after a stop at the department store. I'm sure you're capable of making your own dinner, but we made you a plate in case you were too tired upon arriving home. _

_ Love,_

_ Mom_

Edward was half heartbroken and half ecstatic that he would be alone for Bella's call, but he knew that as soon as he ended the call with her, he would call her parents to give them the good news. A part of him felt bad for not calling them as soon as he knew, but he wouldn't believe it until he heard her voice, so he couldn't bear to get their hopes up if it was all for nothing.

The ringing of the phone startled him, but Edward ran for his arm chair and picked up the receiver anxious to get past the operator and through to his wife.

"Edward?" Bella asked loudly over the static.

"Oh God, you really are alive," Edward sobbed at the thought that he was given a second chance with his angel.

"Darling, I'm so sorry that you were put through all of this. If you could see the wound I received, it is the farthest thing from a killing blow possible."

"Are you okay? Is it something that could get you sent home?" Edward asked hopefully.

"It was a flesh wound. The sniper was too far away and it missed everything it could have damaged. Jasper had me sitting on a stretcher for a couple of hours before he removed the fragments and had me moved to Post-Op. I'm just happy to be back in my tent with a little privacy and quiet," Bella said to reassure him.

"Where were you hit?"

"In the thigh, but it really isn't anything. I will have a neat scar to show any boys we might have to prove their parents met during the war," Bella joked, but Edward couldn't be that blasé yet.

"Rosalie said something about you being left without anything for the next two months."

"We're hoping it won't be that long. The paperwork is already on record in Seoul, and it is about to leave on a boat taking mail to California. From there it enters the mail stream and will arrive in Washington about two weeks from now. From there it must be processed and then official word will be sent back to HQ here to reinstate me, which is when my pay will be sent and my mail will arrive. For the time being, could you send me money care of Colonel Cullen? Alice said that you can send mail to her for me, so we can still communicate, and by April all of this will be cleared up."

"How can you be so calm about this?" Edward asked.

"I've been dealing with my injury for nine days and this clerical nightmare for the last five days. My main concern was you. I couldn't fathom how hearing that I had died would have hurt you and I had poor Eric working around the clock trying to get a call or a wire to you," Bella explained.

"It was the longest week of my life. Your parents have practically lived at my house, and my mother even flew in once she got word. I took most of the week off from work, but I returned yesterday, hoping to distract myself until Rosalie could find something out. The fact that she did so as quickly as she did was a miracle."

"I'm glad that she was able to uncover it as well. I've missed you so much these past nine days. You were all I thought about, Darling," Bella told him.

"Oh, Angel, if I could, I would be on the next flight to see you, but I could only get as close as Tokyo probably."

"It is tempting, but I'd rather have you safe at home. The war is picking up again, and there's talk of them returning to the peace talks soon. I don't know what you're hearing in the States, but it's just repeats of the same battles for the same hills. At some point they'll have to call an end to this."

"From your lips, to God's ears, Angel," Edward said.

"I've missed your voice, Edward. I only wish there'd been a happier reason for this call."

"I will take what I can, and hope for the war to be over soon. I miss my wife."

There was rustling on the other end and then Bella spoke again. "Edward, I'm going to lose the line in a minute, but I love you and you should get a letter from me at any time. Outgoing mail won't be held up, so you'll still hear from me."

"I love you, too, Bella, and I will send off something in the morning so that you'll have money to get you through. Just ask someone to lend you a little if you need it. And tell Emmett that the sun is shining in Dixie, he'll understand what you're saying."

"I will. Goodnight, Edward."

"Sweet dreams, Bella," Edward said as the line went dead.

He quickly placed a call to her parents, giving them the news that Bella was alive, much to everyone's joy. For the first time in a week, Edward ate a hearty dinner and fell asleep, knowing that his angel was still with him.


	15. Making Plans

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

This chapter is the last wartime chapter in Seattle and is a little shorter than the normal chapters. From here we go to the final chapter of the war in Korea. MASHward is working his way to a close and I'm really going to miss this one, but all good things must come to an end.

Thanks to Noble Korhedron for posting review #200 on ffn.

Chapter 15 – Making Plans

The weeks passed slowly for Edward as he waited for word on Isabella's condition and her status with the Army. He had tried to convince both the Colonel and his wife that a visit would do wonders to boost her morale, but Bella was adamantly against it. He had made it out of Korea safely once, and Bella refused to tempt fate. So he had to make do with letters, which were once again on a ten day to two week lag, to hear about his beloved.

Her letters were mainly routine, but a month after he'd gotten word that she was alive, a letter arrived that brought a smile to his face.

_February 14, 1953_

_My Darling Edward,_

_You will never believe what happened today! I was in my tent going over the nurses' schedule when Alice came bounding in and demanded that I change into my dress uniform. I was reluctant to do so, but when she let it slip that there were special visitors for me, I relented and dolled myself up for whatever the occasion was._

_I was truly shocked to see General Andrews and Major Hale in the compound, having flown from Washington to inspect the MASH's and while there the General presented me with the Purple Heart. The Colonel hadn't even told me that he had nominated me for it, but here I was receiving one of the most prestigious military awards possible for a woman from the man in charge of the entire military medical division._

_The General will be staying in the VIP tent, while Rosalie is bunking with me, something that opened my eyes to a detail that I wasn't aware of. She has informed me that you are aware of her future fiancé, but what you might not know is that it will be happening much sooner than many can imagine. Rosalie is completing the job that she has with the General, but once the war is over she will resign her commission and marry Emmett. He plans to open a garage and Rosalie wants to be a nurse in a normal hospital._

_It's amazing to believe that they were a normal couple until somehow he was drafted and went through basic training at the same base as Rosalie, and then to be assigned to the same unit…I can understand why they kept it quiet, but I don't know how they did. I certainly wouldn't have had their strength._

_Some headway has been made with my reactivation, as the paperwork is nearly completed in Washington, and then the appropriate information will be sent back to Seoul to update their records. But our hope is that by mid-March, I will be back on the list._

_Speaking of pay, thank you for the money order you sent to Carlisle. I was able to repay the money that our friends had loaned me and ordered new uniforms via Alice._

_Jasper has received some correspondence from his former commander in Texas, that an opening will become available in the fall out in Washington at a VA hospital. If he were to get it, a very high possibility as long as he is no longer in Korea, then the furthest away he and Alice will be is Tacoma. There is a hospital in the same group in Seattle as well, but even an hour's drive to spend time with our friends will be a great bit of fortune shining down on all of us. The battles are beginning to grow intense again, though they aren't in the area so our work isn't as heavy as it had been a few weeks ago. The rumblings are that this newest push toward peace talks may be the final one, so the fighting will get much worse before the end. I just hope it comes soon._

_All my love to you and I will write again tomorrow. Enjoy the photos that Alice developed this afternoon of my Purple Heart ceremony._

_Yours,_

_Isabella Masen_

Though he wasn't happy about the events that led to her receiving the medal, Edward was ecstatic that she'd been honored in such a way. The photos showed that she was indeed hale and hearty, and just as lovely as ever. One of the pictures found its way into a frame that he put in his office at the practice, giving him a hope for the time when she would be working alongside him with his patients once again.

Another payment to Dr. Douglas in March had him taking over more of the practice, and the three shifts at the hospital were now a nice change of pace for Edward after his years of working in the OR both in Chicago and Korea.

Bella's letters continued to tell him about daily events. How the Army had sent someone down from HQ to personally deliver her back pay and mail, about the number of civilian refugees and POWs that were being treated when there weren't wounded, and how bad the fighting was getting.

The news said that the peace talks were looking hopeful again, but that had been the word for nearly two years. With the discussion of the Red Threat moving to the country of Vietnam, Edward wanted Bella back home even more.

The conditions of the 8076 were changing and as April started up, Edward tried to cheer her up with talk of his changes around the house.

_April 15, 1953_

_My Love,_

_If you were here with me now, I think you would truly be laughing to the point of tears. In hopes of creating a home that you could love when you arrived, and give a certain curb appeal to the practice, I've done some extensive gardening. Thankfully the lawn had been laid out when I bought the property, but finding the proper flowers and shrubbery to make the house look lived in was quite the adventure._

_As I told you in the previous letter, I had the men come in and install the picket fence to close off our property on the front and a larger fence now encloses our property on the other three sides, with another section of fencing closing off the practice from our home, with a gate in the back to allow us to cut through to our main property._

_With that construction complete, I went to the nursery and received quite an education on what will work in our yard. It took me several trips, as I was advised to buy only what I would be able to plant in the next few days and worked through the front yard and then continued into the back to give us a nice variety of evergreens, groundcover, and flowers, choosing perennials because they will not require another venture like this next year. We have lupine, primrose, hollyhock, dahlia, and blue columbine mixed in with varieties of spruce, pine and juniper shrubs and trees, to name only a selection. It is quite remarkable just how many plants I was able to work together and with time they will continue to flourish and add to the character of our home._

_There is an area in the back beside the porch on the kitchen side that I've set up for your garden. I remember you discussing the hope of growing your own garden, so I took an extra portion of the sod up and made sure it would work well for you, so now your garden is waiting for you to plant what you wish._

_By the time you receive this letter, I will be making my final payment to Dr. Douglas, and the practice will be mine, but I still have my time at the hospital to keep me well balanced. I keep hearing that peace is closer now than it's been since they began the talks at Panmunjom, and I hope that is the case. Be safe, my angel, and I will write again tomorrow._

_Yours,_

_Edward_

It was that afternoon, after sending off the letter to Bella that he returned home to find an unexpected surprise waiting for him. Opening the letter with the Columbus postmark, Edward saw that it was a letter from Esme Cullen, the Colonel's wife.

_April 11, 1953_

_Dear Dr. Masen,_

_I know this letter will seem terribly out of the blue, but I have a favor to ask. Every day reports talk about how this war may be in its final months, leading to the return of our spouses to us, and it gives us a unique opportunity._

_I would love to meet the people that have spent the last three years with my husband, and you all are a large part of that. Once you are spread across the country, there may not be that many opportunities to meet again. If you could help me arrange that I would appreciate it greatly. I could find someone to watch the girls for a few days, but what I would have to do as far as getting him to be in the same city as some of the others you served with is what I find tricky. _

_If you could offer some assistance, it would make a dream come true for me, and Carlisle will enjoy the chance to see his friends outside of a warzone. Please contact me if you are able to help me._

_Sincerely,_

_Esme Cullen_

Reading her letter, Edward looked at the time and realized it was still early enough to call his former CO's wife. Dialing the number he had from the last time he'd spoken with her, Edward soon found himself connected with Mrs. Cullen.

"Cullen residence."

"Mrs. Cullen, this is Dr. Masen, I was calling about the letter you sent me," Edward said, relieved when he heard her chuckle into the phone.

"Dr. Masen, when I said you should contact me, I wasn't expecting a phone call the day you read the letter."

"Well, there is a very easy solution to this, so I wanted to tell you now, that way when the time comes we can make the arrangements without too much contact back and forth," Edward explained. "Major Whitlock will be working at one of two VA hospitals in Washington, so he will have to go in and speak to one of the administrators to find out what has been decided as far as his assignment. Because of that, he has already arranged for he and Nurse Brandon to stay with us for a few days. I don't know if there was anyone else we could entice to make the stay over after being away from home so long, but with the four of us you would meet the two doctors he worked the longest with and two of the nurses that he grew to respect the most, save Major Hale, who is already in Washington D.C."

"That would be plenty. I wouldn't want a full camp reunion, but simply to see two other couples that worked with Carlisle, it would mean so much to me. You don't know how much he talked about you and his respect for all of you. Once a treaty is signed, I would just have to book a flight and get a hotel room-" Esme started to say, but Edward interrupted her.

"Let me handle your accommodations, you get yourself here and I will take care of the rest, which includes a telegram to a certain Corporal who can fib to your husband to get him to Seattle so that we can surprise him with a few days in the Pacific Northwest before you return to Ohio."

"Thank you, Edward," Esme said before backpedaling, "is it all right if I call you that?"

"If I can call you Esme, I don't see a need for formality Ma'am," Edward said to ease her mind.

"Well then, Edward, I suppose we'll be in touch."

Smiling at this bit of good news, Edward wrote out the telegrams he wanted to send to the Corporal and his wife, so that way he could drop them off in the morning, and then began the process of starting his dinner.

Time continued to pass for Edward, and with the first of May, came the day that Dr. Douglas retired and the practice was his. Edward had been seeing patients in his office for a while, but with the last of the patient files in his office and the last check deposited into Dr. Douglas' account; his life was completely set up.

It was at this point with his life fully entrenched in Seattle that Edward felt the tiny slivers of doubt. He knew he loved Bella, and that she loved him, but the fact that they'd fallen in love in such a violent and turbulent time, he was afraid that the monotony of everyday life would cool their affections. It was something he knew in his head was impossible, but until she was home with him and he saw them make the transition smoothly, it would nag at him in the dark of night when he missed his wife the most.

Focusing on the day to day life, Edward was hopelessly domestic. He mowed the lawn and tended to his landscaping, worked and spent time with his in-laws. The news was on in his house every evening and the paper was delivered to him every morning so he could take it with him to work.

But May continued to move forward, and June following it, Bella's letters telling him about how their camp was now filling up with refugees, as June came to a close.

_June 22, 1953_

_Dear Edward,_

_There are more refugees here than we are able to handle. They don't have camps set up to house them, and the UN Forces are still trying to find a safe place to move them, so for the time they are living in a little shanty town they've built just beyond the compound. _

_The extra people have kept us busy, making sure they aren't ill when there aren't any casualties to treat. We've even begun to see POWs, who surrender to our MPs when they realize where they are. We have a structure built for them, guarded by MPs and our own men on security detail._

_Word is that the peace talks are the closest they've been since I've been in Korea and I hope that's the case. You have no idea how badly I want to see what you've created for us. I know it is cruel to laugh, but the idea of you out in the garden tending to the flowers and shrubs is a little hard for me to see. But I guess that after what we've seen, a lifetime of pruning and watering must not seem so bad. I cannot wait to see what it is that you've done with my own eyes, and maybe see you come in a little flushed from all of your hard yard work. _

_They just called for us to report to the OR, so I have to end this here, but I will write again as soon as I'm able. _

_Yours,_

_Bella Masen_

Edward tucked the letter into his pocket and headed to the hospital, a surgery on the schedule for him first thing before he was on call for anything that might enter the ER during the course of the day.

Going through his morning ritual at the hospital, Edward was soon standing over the operating table for another routine surgery. An hour into the two and a half hour surgery, a nurse came in and changed the radio that had been sitting in the corner of the OR onto the news station.

"…with both sides working hard on the terms of the armistice, it seems that peace may be reached soon. The fighting is still heavy until a time that the agreement is reached, but with the word from Panmunjom giving hope to those who have spent the last three years fighting along the thirty-eighth parallel that they may soon find themselves back home. We will continue to follow the news coming out of Panmunjom and report any updates as soon as we receive them. We now return you to your regular programming already in progress."

Taking a deep breath before he got back to work, Edward smiled behind his mask at the thought that his wife could soon be home.


	16. A Tearful Goodbye, A Joyful Hello

**Big and exciting news! My recently completed story, _Loose Screws_, is nominated for "One of the Top Ten Favorite Fics Completed in March" over at TwiFanfictionRecs. (link on my profile will bring you to the page) You can vote once a day and it is open until May 1st, so please take a moment to check it out. Huge thanks to whoever nominated me and to everyone who made that story a success.**

**Also, in MASHward news, the last two chapters have been returned to me and I'm cleaning them up now. You will get them over the next two Wednesdays as we say goodbye to the good doctor and his angel...not going to lie, after I finished the epilogue, I had to take the night off to let my emotions settle. I will miss this one, but I have plenty more on the way, including work on _The Family You Make_ when I've finished a little more research, and completing some of my nearly complete fics. This will be a busy spring. Thank you as always for your support.**

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

_"Well, look on the bright side. When they tell us we have to do time in purgatory we can say, 'No, thanks. I've done mine.'" ~Father Mulcahey on M*A*S*H_

Chapter 16 – A Tearful Goodbye, A Joyful Hello

Bella stood perfectly still as she heard the announcement that the war was in its final paces. While it could go on for weeks yet, the representatives of all the countries were in the same room, talking about real things like the truce line and the prisoner exchange. The thought of saying goodbye to this place and returning to Edward made Bella giddy, but it also brought up a fear of her own.

"Bella, can I come in?" Alice called through the tent flap.

"Sure, Alice," Bella called and was surprised to see the armloads that her best friend carried in. "What is all of that, Alice?"

"You spend your free time doing paperwork, I use my travel sewing machine to make us dresses for when we get home," Alice teased. "We'll have to do a little shopping on our own once everything settles down a little, but you know that Edward will want to take us out for a night on the town and that will be difficult if we don't have proper clothing. Now, will you please try this on so I can see if I need to make any alterations?"

Bella stood up and stripped out of her uniform and into the dress. She looked in the mirror that she'd inherited from Rosalie, her eyes holding her reflection.

"You don't like it?" Alice asked when she said nothing.

"It's a beautiful dress, Alice, I'm just worried about what it will be like to wear it for Edward," Bella confided.

"He saw you out of uniform on your honeymoon, and he'll be so happy to have you with him again you could be wearing a paper bag and he'd feel like the luckiest man," Alice said in an attempt to bolster Bella's confidence.

"It isn't that per se…it's just that all we've known of each other is the war and waiting for a chance at normal together. What if it doesn't live up to the dream? I know that Edward is it for me, but he's given up everything to be with me and I'm afraid that he'll resent me for all the changes he's had to make. He was my reach, and I worry that he'll come to see just how much better he could do."

Before the tears could fall, Alice had Bella in her arms. "That's nonsense, Isabella, and you know that deep down. Think about Edward's reaction to the news that you'd died, or about the box of letters tucked into your footlocker, someone who feels that kind of devotion doesn't get thrown by living a normal life. That's the reward for surviving this, not the punishment. And we'll be there while you reap the benefits of being safe with your husband."

"Thank you, Alice," Bella whispered. "I know it too, but I miss him so much and our anniversary is coming up and I just wish that I was with him to celebrate."

"They say that the first year is the hardest," Alice told Bella. "If you can make it through Korea, I'm sure the rest will be a picnic. As for that dress, it fits like a glove."

Bella looked back at the dress. The deep blue of the material and the way the neckline came straight down to meet the sweetheart cut of the bodice and hugged her waist before it flared to the knee. "This is the perfect dress for me, it shows off enough, but with the sleeves to my elbows I'm still covered up."

"I figured you'd want something that wasn't too revealing. Why don't you take it off and I'll make sure it's packed in my bag. You have enough to get home."

"Have you started packing yet?" Bella asked.

"I started with my winter stuff, but now I'm trying to see what else I can put in the duffle that I won't need."

"That's a good idea, I'll have to start that way," Bella said as she handed the dress back to Alice, getting back into her uniform just as there was another knock on the door.

"Captain, there's a package here for you," Corporal Yorkie called, giving a break from the heavy emotions that had filled the last few minutes.

Bella opened the tent door and took the package from Edward, surprised that she had gotten something from him that was likely an anniversary gift. She tore the paper off the package and giggled at the name on the box. She opened the lid to see a new set of monogrammed stationary. Attached was a small note.

_Bella,_

_The first anniversary is the paper anniversary, so I thought that having a new set of stationary would be a fitting way to celebrate a year chronicled in letters. Wishing that you were with me to receive this, but happy to know that I will have you back soon._

_Love,_

_Edward_

"Did you get him anything for your anniversary?" Alice asked.

"I did, I'm actually going to give him my journal, but I want to be with him when he gets it. It's all the thoughts I didn't send him over this past year, written out for him to see," Bella explained.

"I'm sure he'll love it. But for now, I'll leave you to pack. That may just be the last mail we receive, because it could be returned to sender because we'll be on our way home," Alice said brightly as she left the tent to return to her own.

Bella worked on packing up a good deal of her things and then went to the Mess Tent for dinner before returning to her tent again. There were too many people roaming outside between the POW pens that had been built near the compound's entrance, and the refugees were milling around before dark, taking some of the food from the Mess Tent now that the soldiers had eaten.

It was a good thing that Bella had gone to sleep early that night, because the wounded rolled in just before dawn. The soldiers came in steadily throughout the morning, giving the medical teams what could be their last taste of casualties before the end of the war.

Bella's leg had healed, but her muscle strength was still not 100%, so she took to updating reports and charts when she had to take a break. She knew that she'd be limping from the strain tomorrow, but it was necessary because the soldiers in her care couldn't wait.

Sandwiches and powdered OJ were brought in for the operating staff to sustain themselves on short breaks, and then it was back to work until the final patient was on their way to Post-Op.

Nurse Masen stayed in Post-Op to complete the reports on the wounded so that Eric could fill out his various reports the following morning. When the time came for her to go to bed, Garrett offered her his arm as her leg was already stiffening up.

"I've noticed that your mail has been a little light lately, was there another foul up in Seoul?" Garrett asked as they walked.

"No, it's the news of the peace talks. When they even bring up the peace talks in the States, Edward knows that it's serious, so he stops writing to see if it's really something or just another empty promise. He did it briefly last year, but it fell through so quickly that I didn't realize anything had stopped until he told me that the few days lapse had been done on purpose. Anything he mails now would arrive a month after I get home at the rate our mail gets to us," Bella joked.

"Good, I know how hard it can be keeping a relationship going through correspondence, so I was going to tell you that if you needed to talk anything out, I'm here," Garrett offered.

"I will, thank you," Bella told him as she entered her tent to rest her leg and get a good night's sleep.

The next day was another one with little activity for the doctors and nurses. Bella finished packing her winter items and made a long list of the things that she had accumulated while in Korea, that way everything would be sure to make it back. Edward's gifts and letters were at the top of that list, and several of the items were already in her duffle.

Three trucks pulled into the compound, one taking away half of the POWs that had been held since the enemy began to flee a few weeks prior to the relocation center for the time when a prisoner exchange would happen. The second two took refugees to the camps that were trying to keep them safe and patch together torn families, though there seemed to be little luck so far.

Late that evening, the buses pulled up in front of the OR entrance and the teams were once again called. Bella was working with Colonel Cullen on a bowel resection, as they began what would be one of their longest stretches in the OR for the entirety of the war.

Bella took a break from the operating room to direct the evacuation of the patients in Post-Op once the sun came up.

"All right, we have ten choppers rotating through here in ninety minutes, so that means twenty of our most critical will be EVACed on choppers, the rest will be on buses. The forty that still can't be moved will be put up in the Mess Tent. The kitchen staff has already been instructed on the fact that for the next two days we'll be eating alfresco," Bella commanded and everyone around her obeyed.

Another go in the OR had Bella working with Peter and it seemed that she might belly up to a gurney with every surgeon before the shift was over.

Her leg once again required her to take a break, so Bella took a short nap and was once again called into the fray. One hundred and fourteen patients went through the 8076 by the time they had finished, and with the forty that had been moved to the Mess Tent, they had one hundred and fifty-four total in their care.

An eerie sort of calm followed the next day, but with the camp preparing for the possibility of peace at any time, there was a great deal of mundane activities going on. In Bella's tent, the girls were sitting around, sharing beauty tips while Alice cut a few inches off of Bella's hair. It was a nice way to spend the day, and it gave Bella the chance to simply be Bella with her nurses, instead of Captain Masen.

That evening, Alice and Bella were once again packing, Alice taking advantage of a little space in Jasper's duffle to give her enough room for her things and Bella somehow managing to stuff a great deal into her duffle. Her purse was more of a carpet bag at this point, with her pocketbook tucked into the top, so all of her books, her knitting, and most importantly, Edward's letters and her journal fit in it. The perk of being a woman was no one would begrudge you the extra bag.

The night of the twenty-sixth ended with a wish that all of the insanity around them would soon come to an end.

And that night, their wish was granted.

The morning of July twenty-seventh had begun with orders from I-Corps that they were sending trucks for the remaining POWs and refugees, and buses and choppers to begin evacuating the patients. The Colonel wasn't sure if this was a turn for the better or the worst, but when the radio broke into their morning work, it gave them the answer they'd been waiting for. At 10:01 a.m., the armistice had been signed and the ceasefire would begin twelve hours after, causing the real work to begin.

The POWs were the first to go, because they needed to be in place for the prisoner switch, but soon there were no Koreans left in the camp. Four buses pulled in to take the first group of soldiers to the next stop along the way, and five choppers did the same thing.

By three in the afternoon, there were no more patients at the 8076, and by that time the next day they would be moving on. Just as the last bus left with the patients they had treated during the last deluge, another one began.

The radio kept playing the commentary on the final hours of the war, tallies of all those killed, wounded, missing, or captured read off for all to hear. The heavy artillery was heard in the hills and on the radio until just after ten p.m. when the silence was heard and peace was official.

The Mess Tent was once again converted into a dining hall, and a little after midnight, all the members of the 8076 met together for what would be the last time. Talk of home pervaded the tent and it wasn't surprising that the war had changed what a lot of people would be doing once they arrived home. Bella's announcement that she would be a nurse in her husband's private practice was surprising to some, but others could understand that between what she'd seen, and her difficulty with her leg, that she'd be happy to tend to bumps and colds.

Eric was finally pulled away from the radio for long enough to celebrate, and for one final meal, they got to enjoy each other's company.

Emmett was returning to Rosalie once he was officially out of the army, a shock to many who had known them for the entirety of the war, Garrett and Peter were returning to their gals, and the Colonel was going home to his family. It was a discussion of Carlisle's desire to get home that had Eric unfortunately dropping a little bomb.

"Sir, I wasn't able to get you all the way to Ohio. I could get you to Seattle, but from there you'll have to arrange the last leg of your trip."

"Why Seattle?" Carlisle asked.

"Because it's closer than San Francisco. This way it will be a non-stop when you're able to get a flight," Eric explained.

"Carlisle, I'm sure you'll be able to get something, and if not, you can stay with Edward and me for a day or two until a flight opens up. I know it isn't ideal…"

"Thank you, Bella. And thank you, Eric, I know you tried your hardest," Carlisle told him before heading off to bed.

Once the officers started to head to their tents, the party quickly ended, as there was a great deal of work to be done the next morning.

The work started right at dawn, with breakfast being served as the last of people's bags were packed. Bella kept her dress uniform out and then changed into her fatigues for the last time, having her nurses put their bags in her tent so that the nurses' quarters could be dissembled.

With lists of everything that needed to be packed up, Bella oversaw the breaking down of the OR while Alice did the same with Post-Op. Trucks were loaded with their supplies to be returned to Quartermaster and the Medical Supply Offices.

Lunch was served after all of the medical items were on their way back to Seoul, the patients now being loaded into the buses so that the cots could be stacked in another truck.

Roofs and ceilings were torn down, and soon all that was left of the main building was the Colonel's office and the outer office. The Supply Tent was gone, and once the enlisted quarters were knocked down, a majority of the enlisted men were bused out as well.

I-Corps sent people to collect all of the filing and paperwork and cart off all of the office items that weren't personal belongings of the Colonel or the Corporal, and soon that building was gone as well. The Doctor's tent and the VIP tent were gone and after changing for their ride, the Nurses and Peter and Garrett prepared to leave.

"We'll be in touch, Bella, if Edward's pen pal skills are any indication," Peter joked with a hug before Garrett took his turn.

"Goodbye, Nurse Masen, you'll be a happy memory to tell my grandchildren about this war."

"Bye, Garrett. You're one of the people who made this place bearable after Edward left, and I'll never forget you," Bella told him just before he boarded the bus, which was missing it's driver, who swooped in to twirl Bella around.

"Ma'am, I know that Rosie is gonna want you at the wedding, so this is only, 'see you later.'"

"Emmett, if I ever had a big brother, I'd like to think that he would have looked after me like you have."

The last two tents were broken up, and there were only two buses and a jeep left of the 8076. Everyone's bags were packed, and after a final salute, Eric ran over to say his goodbyes.

"Enjoy your homecoming, Sirs, Ma'ams. And I hope you don't mind if I write you all," Eric said as he shook hands with the men.

"Mind? I'll be hurt if I don't get a chance to learn about what became of you," Alice told him, pulling him in for a hug.

"Thank you can't say enough for what you did for us, Eric. If you ever need anything, you know who to call," Bella said hugging the young man to her before he ran to climb on the waiting bus.

Jasper took the driver's seat in the Jeep, with the Colonel taking shotgun and the girls in the back with their bags. It was an hour drive to Gimpo with the buses and the MPs in a little caravan to make sure they arrived okay.

The officers had managed to get flights, unlike the boats that would take many of the enlisted men home, so the Jeep broke off so the buses could continue to Inchon.

After checking in and making sure the paperwork was good, the four remaining members of the 8076 boarded their first leg of the trip home.

From Gimpo they flew to Tokyo, Guam, Honolulu, San Francisco, and finally Seattle on a grueling trip that took over a day of time, crossing the date line only to be traveling so long that it was once again July 29th by the time they arrived home. Bella had called and left a message on Edward's answering service for the practice so that Edward would know around when they would be arriving, and she hoped that the early hour wouldn't be too much.

It was just before 6:00 a.m. when they stepped off their plane, Bella already searching for familiar faces. The fatigue and the ache in her leg was forgotten as the four weary soldiers entered the terminal and tried to find the people meeting them.

Bella heard the sob a moment before the familiar arms of her mother enveloped her in a tight hug. "Oh, my sweet baby girl, you're home!"

"It's so good to be home, Mom," Bella whispered as she pulled back, only to be pulled into an embrace by her father as she cried out, "Daddy!"

"You're through being noble, young lady," Chief Swan told his daughter. "You keep both feet on US soil unless it's a vacation."

"I will, Daddy, I promise," Bella told him, already beginning to look around for Edward, who had yet to claim her. "I'd like you to meet my friends and former colleagues. This is Nurse Alice Brandon, Major Jasper Whitlock, and our CO, Dr. Carlisle Cullen. Everyone, these are my parents."

Bella stepped back and looked around as everyone else became acquainted, but the fact that Edward wasn't there worried her. A million thoughts ran through her head from him working the morning so that he could be off the next few days while their company was there, to him not being able to find someone to cover his shift, or a patient emergency, but those were overshadowed by the notion that he didn't want to be there to welcome her home. It was that thought that tore at her when she heard the sweetest voice she'd ever known utter the most love-filled word there was in her world.

"Angel?"

Bella snapped to face Edward, looking devastatingly handsome in his fresh suit and slightly longer hair. "Edward," she cried as he pulled her into his arms for a smoldering embrace.

"It's all right, Darling, I'm here. I would have been here sooner, but I had to meet someone else for our surprise to be complete," Edward told her confusing her thoroughly until she heard Carlisle's voice yell out his wife's name.

"Sweetheart, what are you doing here?" Carlisle asked when he finally tore himself away from his wife.

"You should never think that Corporal Yorkie could manage to not get exactly what he wants for the people he cares about," Esme told him. "I wanted to meet the people you've spent the last three years with, and the Corporal and Edward made that happen. For the next three days we are in Seattle before we return to our children and our life back home."

"Thank you for doing this, Edward," Carlisle said, pulling him away from Bella so that he could hug him before passing him along to his friends for a moment.

"I was happy to do it, Carlisle, and I'm happy to have you all home." Edward turned to Bella and planted another kiss on her lips. "Especially you."

"Well," Chief Swan said in a not so subtle attempt at interrupting the many side conversations, "Renee and I will be off now, you all have a safe trip home and we're glad you're back safe and sound."

"You guys aren't coming to dinner with us?" Bella asked her parents.

"You'll be just fine without us under foot," Renee said, hugging her daughter one more time so that she could whisper to her. "Enjoy your time with Edward before the world intrudes, we'll see you soon."

Bella watched as her parents walked away, leaving the three couples to continue to stand in the terminal before Esme broke the silence. "Why don't we go down to the baggage area and collect our things and then we can see our plans for the day."

"That sounds like a good idea, Esme, and Renee drove my car so you'll have something to drive to the hotel," Edward added.

"Wait, if Esme and Carlisle are taking your car, how are we getting to the house?" Bella asked.

"We're driving your Buick," Edward said matter of factly.

"Edward…" Bella began, but he ended the argument quickly.

"I work at the hospital and the practice, and I need to know that you can get around if need be. It's not unheard of, Bella. My mother owns her own car."

"Very well, but no other outlandish homecoming presents," Bella told him.

"You can't hold anything I did before you laid down that edict against me, Darling," Edward teased as they made their way to the baggage area.

"Edward, I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say that the most important thing that we need at the moment is a chance to clean up and a nice long nap," Alice told him as they waited for their belongings.

"That can easily be arranged, Alice, but are you guys hungry after all of that traveling?" Edward asked.

"We had breakfast in San Francisco, so we've actually taken care of everything we could without the comforts of home," Jasper answered.

"Okay, then we can go straight home. Carlisle, you and Esme can follow us and I'll drive you to the hotel so you don't get lost."

After a few more minutes of waiting around for their things, the six of them walked out to the parking area so that Edward could give Carlisle his keys and explain how to get to the hotel before they drove them there. With a wave and a promise to meet for dinner at six at Norselander Seafood Restaurant, Edward drove off with Bella seated beside him and Alice and Jasper in the back.

The last few miles seemed to stretch on until finally Edward pulled into the driveway of the home he'd made for them. The anticipation was killing him nearly as much as it was her, but with a couple of guests to show around as well, Edward stepped in and gave them the grand tour.

Bella took in the little details that Edward had taken from conversations and directives and smiled at how hard he'd worked to make it a place she could love. And she did.

Once Jasper and Alice were shown to their room, Bella went to take advantage of the shower while they settled in for a few minutes. She knew that Edward was on the other side of the bedroom door, making her chores that much more arduous, but soon enough she was exiting the en suite bathroom in a nightgown and robe, her rollers in place so that she would be ready for dinner that evening.

Edward had changed as well, the bed turned down in invitation as he sat on the far side of it.

"Edward, I-" Bella said, not knowing how to say what she wanted to say, but knowing that she needed to say something.

"All I want to do right now is hold you while we sleep, Angel. Everything else can come after," Edward reassured her and she moved to the bed, dropping her robe before climbing in, wincing at the stiffness she felt.

Bella rolled to face him and smiled as she took her place nestled into his chest with her head perched over his heart. "Now I'm home."

The couple fell asleep, waking up slowly in the early afternoon. Edward was the first to open his eyes, unwilling to wake Bella until she absolutely needed to so that they could go to dinner. He knew from the way she slept soundly, not even being phased when she rolled off of his chest and settled in beside him.

She was still his beautiful wife, but he could see the innocence that the war had cost her, and he was also aware of the limp that she had, though it wasn't much. He wanted to talk to her, but he knew that they had time. They had all the time in the world.

When Bella did stir, she found Edward watching her closely. "How long have you been awake?"

"A while, but you needed your rest. Now that you've had it, can I show you something that I'm sure will help with the preparations for tonight?"

"Edward, please tell me that it isn't something extravagant to wear, Alice made us both homecoming dresses that I am most happy to wear," Bella pleaded, but he simply pointed to the wall beside the entrance to the bathroom where a small alcove hid a dressing table and a standing hair dryer.

Bella gaped at it, amazed that it fit in the small space and more than a little excited to try it out. "It's perfect, thank you. And I didn't get to tell you earlier how much I love what you did here. You built a beautiful home for us."

"It means the world to me that you like it. And I'm sure Alice has discovered the sewing machine in that guest room, but there's also a dress form in the closet so that you can work on whatever you need."

"You think of everything, Edward."

"I try," he told her. "I wanted to tell you, tomorrow we men will be playing a round of golf and you, Alice, and Esme can do a little shopping or just relax here and then we'll enjoy a quiet dinner at home if you're up to cooking."

"That sounds lovely, but I think it's best if I start getting ready. We only have two and a half hours and it will take my hair a little bit of time to set, though the dryer will help." Bella went to stand but lying after being cramped in the small plane seats and chairs in the various airport terminals had stiffened her leg a little more.

Edward noticed immediately and stopped her before she got too far from the bed. "That doesn't look like it was just a flesh wound, Bella."

"It was, Edward, but there was a little bit of damage to my quadriceps. It tore the front of the muscle, so it has had to mend itself, but when I stand for too long, or stay in any position without moving much, the muscles grow tight and I limp a little to overcompensate. The last week was a lot of marathon OR sessions and then a day of travel have aggravated it, but I promise that it's nothing to worry over. In fact, my doctor is down the hall if you would like to interrogate him."

"Very funny, Mrs. Masen." Edward laughed before looking back to her silk covered leg. "Can I see it?"

Knowing it was something he had worried over, Bella lifted her nightgown to reveal the small pink scar that remained on the inside of her left thigh. It was such an insignificant mark to have caused such a world of trouble, but in time it would be Bella's only physical reminder of the injury.

"You were lucky, this could have easily killed you," he whispered. "An inch in any direction and my world would have been shattered."

"We promised each other a long life together, Edward, and I never welch on a deal," Bella said, earning a laugh.

"Well, you better start getting ready. I'm going to check in with the answering service and then take a shower. I will be back in a little while."

Bella smiled at her husband's carefree attitude as she picked up her robe and moved to the dressing table to turn on the dryer. Some of her belongings from before going to Korea were sitting on her dressing table, but Bella knew that she would need to do a fair bit of shopping the next morning. Bella had a long list of activities to take care of, so she decided to use her time under the dryer to make some lists.

Before she could get started, Alice came in to give Bella her dress and Bella dug through her duffle to get the necessary beauty products. Alice gushed over her hair dryer, but quickly made herself scarce when Edward returned to begin getting ready himself.

A grocery list was written up, as well as a list of personal items, and a list of tasks to complete was filled out as well. It made Bella a little easier to know that she had things to do to contribute to their household, but the idea of taking time away from her friends to do them, especially with Esme and Carlisle only there for a few days made her think about how much of it she could put off.

As the shower shut off, Bella reached up to check her hair and found she was happy with its progress. Moving to her suitcase, she found some of the civilian clothes she had from her honeymoon, which would be the closest thing she had to any undergarments that would fit.

Stripping out of her clothing, she put on her bra and panties only to feel Edward's wet hands rest along her waist. "Seeing you in this reminds me of our time in Seoul."

"I was just thinking about those days we spent together, and how they will pale in comparison to the days to come," Bella told him as she moved to replace her robe so that she could focus on her hair and makeup. Seeing the portable record player on the dresser, Bella turned it on to see what he had been listening to and froze when she heard the familiar, grainy recording. "How did you get this?"

"It was my Christmas present from the Black girls. They thought I would enjoy hearing your angel's voice since I'd been parted from you, and in truth it was the only thing that kept me going when I thought-"

"You listened to it after you thought I had been killed?" Bella asked, unable to think of how that must have torn at him.

"It was my only connection to you. If I could hear you sing, then you couldn't be gone. I needed that desperately until I got the call from Rosalie that it had all been a mix-up. Now that you're home, I might need to bring you to make a few more recordings."

"As long as they're private recordings for you, then I will do it. But could you tell me more about those days when you thought that I'd been killed?"

Edward shook his head from where he was sitting on the bed. "I don't like thinking about how I acted during those days, Bella. I was so selfish. Your parents had believed they'd lost their only child, and your friends thought that they'd lost their closest friend, yet I was the one that they were forced to take care of. Your mother even called mine to fly out here because I wouldn't leave the bed. I was a complete mess, and there isn't anything I can ever do to make up for the fact that I behaved as though my loss was worse than theirs."

Wanting to comfort him, Bella sat beside him and took his hands. "Did you know my father sent me a letter right after things had been clarified for you all here? I have the entire thing, but the gist is this. If a man's anguish is any measure of his devotion, then you could not have found a better man for you if you had special ordered him from a catalog. It broke my heart that I couldn't get in touch with you, and I cried for you so often during those first few days, wanting you with me to take away the pain and boredom, but once I knew your true reaction to what you had been told was my untimely death, it only made me ache for you more."

"That's all behind us, Bella. I'm never letting you go again," Edward told her with a kiss before he went to get dressed.

Bella took out the rollers and pinned her hair up, applying a bit of makeup before she moved to the dress Alice had made for her. She unzipped the dress and stepped into it, slipping on her heels before asking Edward to fasten the back of the dress.

It took a great deal of restraint to pull the toggle up and not down, but Edward allowed Bella to finish getting ready before he went to his dresser and pulled out a small box from the top drawer.

"This is another thing I bought for you before your edict, but when I saw it I thought that it seemed perfect," Edward told her as he stepped in behind her and sat the necklace in the hollow of her neck, pulling it back until it clasped to reveal a beautiful choker. "I wanted to get you pearls, and the fact that this one had your birthstone set on it was like a sign that I should buy it for you."

Bella brushed her fingers along the teardrop sapphire and then up to the two strands of pearls that made up the necklace. "It's lovely."

"Not nearly as much as you," Edward told her before offering her his arm. "I think we better go, otherwise we will be late meeting Carlisle and Esme."

The pair went downstairs to find Alice and Jasper waiting for them. Edward got Bella her coat before grasping her hand and walking her out to the car, opening her door before he walked to the driver's side and climbed in.

The two couples drove to the seafood restaurant, finding Carlisle and Esme already waiting at the table for them. With the six of them settled at the table, the waitress took their drink order and left them to look over the menu.

"Edward, I can't thank you enough for making all of the arrangements for this trip," Carlisle started the conversation. "We won't get many more opportunities to all be together, so this is an excellent way to readjust to civilian life."

"As I said before, Carlisle, I'm happy to do it. I know you're only here for another two days but we have a lot we can do. The Chief has lent me his clubs, so between mine and his we should be able to muddle through our golf round tomorrow while the ladies do a little shopping," Edward suggested.

"Oh, I'd love the opportunity to really go shopping, what about you, Bella, I'm sure there's plenty you need to buy now that we're home," Alice said enthusiastically.

"I wouldn't want to drag you around while I go to the drug store and grocery shop," Bella said embarrassed.

"If you add in a trip to the Fredericks and do a little shopping at Pike Place Market, I'd be happy to go along. Shopping with three daughters can be costly, so not having to deal with three cases of the gimmies' would be a welcome change," Esme said, sealing the deal.

"Okay, I do need to pick up quite a few things," Bella admitted as she picked up her menu to place her order with their waitress who had just returned to check on them.

After their orders were in, the group talked about their plans for the future. Edward had the chance to talk about his practice and the few shifts he had at the hospital, while Jasper talked about his meeting at the VA Hospital.

"Will you definitely be in Seattle, Major?" Esme asked as their salads were brought to them.

"Yes, Ma'am. I have to meet with the CO to discuss my start date, but then I'll fly back to Texas to close everything up. Hopefully by the time I get back, Alice will be returning as well and we can begin our own adventure up here." Jasper reached out to take Alice's hand, kissing her knuckles before he turned back to Esme. "And Ma'am, you can call me Jasper, no need for formality between friends."

"Then drop the Ma'am business and call me Esme, if you were able to be that informal in Korea, then we can certainly manage it at dinner," she joked with them, letting the conversation meander some more.

The meal passed for the group, a familiarity being found from the stories and conversations that made them all feel as if they'd known each other for years, instead of hours for some of them. When time came for them to pay the check, there was a bit of a squabble before Carlisle pulled rank.

"Until I go to the office in Columbus and handle my separation from the Army, I'm still a Colonel, so I'm pulling rank and paying for this one. Lord knows what our hotel and a round of golf are costing you, Edward," Carlisle said with a smirk.

"This was as much for me as it was for you and Esme, so I was more than happy to pay. But when you travel out for the wedding at whatever time Jasper and Alice decide to tie the knot, we'll leave you to make the arrangements as you would choose to," Edward said with a nudge to his friend beside him.

"Can we get a place together and let me put a ring on her finger before you're flying out VIPs for the ceremony?" Jasper asked as the waiter returned to take the check, wishing them a good night.

With their plans set for the following day, Carlisle and Esme headed back to their hotel while everyone else got in Bella's car as Edward drove them home.

When they settled in for the night, Edward cuddled up behind Bella and held her tight, happy that she was home.

The next day had the men playing a round of golf and the girls doing quite a bit of shopping. Bella was happy to have the large back of the station wagon with all the shopping they did, her need for clothing that fit her trimmer figure and a long list of personal items had the girls seeing a great deal of the shopping district and after some lunch and a late afternoon of traveling through Pike Place Market, the girls headed to the grocery store to buy food and figure out something for dinner. Esme's years of cooking for a family of five gave her plenty of ideas, which she was more than willing to share with Bella.

The girls got home to find the men in the living room watching the television after taking the trip to the VA hospital so that Jasper could take his meeting, so Alice took Bella's belongings to her room while Esme helped Bella in the kitchen.

"Thank you, Esme, it's been a while since I've been in the kitchen, and most of my recipes are for types of casseroles because you could reheat them for a few days," Bella explained.

"Don't worry, dear. I'll write out a copy of my recipes and send them to you, consider it a belated wedding present."

Dinner that night was another enjoyable evening, and with one more day together, the group decided to make the trip to Forks to visit La Push and have lunch with Bella's parents.

The trip to the reservation was a unique experience for the Cullens and they packed up that night happy that they'd had the chance to enjoy time with Carlisle's friends from Korea. After making arrangements to meet them at the airport so that Edward could drive his car home after they drove Alice and Jasper to catch their flight, Carlisle and Esme went back to the hotel for the night.

The following morning everyone was up early, and after some tearful goodbyes and promises to keep in touch, the final members of the 8076 were on their way home.


	17. The First Steps of Forever

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

This is the last regular chapter of MASHward...little sad to be saying that. The epilogue will post next Wednesday, and I'm currently working on the final chapter of "I Think I Dreamed You into Life" as well as "The Family You Make" so there will be a little lull in posts, but hopefully not too long. RL has robbed me of my writing time a bit this week, but the plus is that I had plenty of research time and I've got the majority of information I need to move forward with "The Family You Make" when I start that after finishing what I'm writing at the moment. Enjoy this bit, because the research for this chapter had me giggling. Oh how things have changed.

Love to mizzdee as always, she keeps the pitter patter of keys going, and the good times rolling.

Chapter 17 – The First Steps of Forever

Once their friends had left, Bella was facing the problem of fitting herself back into her own life. Edward had been successfully taking care of himself for thirty-three years, including this past year when the job should have fallen to her.

Edward made a point to take her out for a belated anniversary dinner, and as they talked about the future he could see her struggling with what came next.

As he reached the end of his contract with the hospital, Edward decided to step away from his position on the staff so he could focus on his practice, though he was still affiliated with it for the purpose of treating patients.

Knowing that she would be taking on the position of his nurse at the practice, Edward began asking for her help with much of the organization and then introducing her to some of the patients.

Bella found some new recipes to try until Esme shared her wealth of knowledge with her on the culinary arts. While Bella enjoyed cooking and baking, she didn't have a great deal of variety in her repertoire, so she was taking a lot of time to experiment with new things.

The first two months after returning, Bella focused on tending house, using the practice to help her stave off boredom. Although she was happy to be out of the insanity that was Korea, sitting home all day with little to do was never Bella's idea of fun.

Her birthday was a quiet evening at home with Edward bringing home food from a local Italian restaurant and the couple relaxing together. After dinner, Edward laid a comforter and a few pillows in front of the fireplace in the living room and lit a fire in the hearth.

"You seem to have something up your sleeve tonight, Dr. Masen," Bella teased as she took in the scene before her.

"I just want to enjoy my beautiful wife on her birthday, there are no tricks," he promised.

"How do you manage to be so good at everything?" Bella asked, feeling her own insecurities creep up.

"What do you mean, Sweetheart?" Edward replied with a question of his own.

"You're outgoing, intelligent, charming, an amazing doctor and a wonderful husband. There doesn't seem to be an effort or a struggle with anything you try, meanwhile I feel like I'm failing you on the most basic level," Bella explained.

"How could you be failing me? You're my partner both in life and in business and every day since you've come home to me has been a blessing. I know that this has been a hard transition for you, but I need you to tell me what you're feeling. You say that you're failing me, where do you feel that you're lacking?"

"I'm not sure how to be a wife. I cook and I clean, but there's so much more to it than that and that is where I feel lost," Bella told him.

"You do the things a wife should without thinking, Bella, it comes so naturally that you don't notice. You take care of me and you love me. And we're already hard at work on building our family. We were never together as husband and wife in any real situation before our separation, so you feel out of sorts, but you've been my wife in name, spirit, and action since the day you said 'I do' in Korea. We will be fine, my love, we just need more time to get used to the daily life together."

The tears began to flow at his comforting words; Bella had been so sure that her actions weren't enough. Edward pulled her to sit beside him on the comforter, his hands tracing up and down her arms. Those innocent touches grew bolder as Bella leaned in to kiss him. Those kisses led to shirts being unbuttoned and shoes and socks being thrown a good distance away. When Edward stood to strip out of his pants, Bella slipped her skirt and stockings off, careful not to get a run.

With only their underwear between them, Edward once again settled over Bella's body on the blanket, the heat of the fire keeping the chill out of the air. His lips kissed a trail down her body, before he returned to her breasts. Kissing up to the peak of her bullet bra, his hands found the clasp on the back and soon the fabric was stripped away, giving him new territory to explore. A short time later underwear was the last to be removed as Edward settled into the cradle of Bella's legs.

"Oh, Edward," she gasped as he entered her, her eyes shutting at the sensations.

"My darling wife, god am I lucky to have you," he breathed as he pulled back, starting a rhythm that they both knew well.

There in front of the fireplace in their living room, Edward showed Bella with his body what he had told her with his words, that she was his wife and that she saw to every one of his needs.

After her birthday, Bella was able to stop worrying about her life and start living it. Using the wealth of information she had gained both from Esme's handwritten notes and the books she'd bought at the local bookshop, Bella spent a little bit of time everyday making up recipe cards.

Bella also went to a local nursery to find out how best to prepare the soil in her little garden for the following spring, as she knew it was too late to start that year. Trips to the local fabric and notions store had her making clothes and her knitting was done for pleasure instead of as a way to stave off the boredom as it had been in Korea.

Even her work at the practice gave her a greater sense of purpose as Edward gladly relinquished his appointment book and patient filing to Bella's administrative mind, allowing her to greet patients during their open hours as his receptionist as well as helping when he had a need for it.

They continued to work towards their goal of starting a family, and when Bella noticed that she was considerably late in getting her monthly, she made an appointment with her doctor to have herself checked out. It took a few days to get the call back, but a week before Halloween, Bella was able to give Edward the best news imaginable.

It started with a special meal, a bottle of wine and a new dress that she'd just finished that morning, so the moment Edward came in, he knew something was up.

"Bella, is Alice finally in town? Because Jasper didn't mention anything when I spoke to him yesterday," Edward asked in hopes to get an explanation for the special evening.

"No, she won't be done with things in Mississippi for another two weeks. Though I told her that now that she has a definite date, Jasper and I would begin to look for houses for them. That way, he can show her his favorites and she can make a final decision without too much traipsing around the city," Bella said as she emerged from the kitchen.

"Well, if we aren't having company, then what is with this set up? I haven't missed an anniversary of some sort, have I?" Edward asked, trying to remember what he might have missed.

"No, nothing like that, I just had some news to share with you, and I decided to make it into something a little special," Bella explained.

"Sweetheart, what is going on?" Edward asked her as she gestured for him to sit at his place at the head of the table.

"We're going to need to decorate the fourth bedroom soon, my love," Bella told him cryptically.

"Angel, you can decorate this house however you wish. I left that bedroom unused so that we might easily be able to turn it into a nursery somed…" Edward trailed off as he realized what she was telling him. "Bella, are you pregnant?"

"I am, Edward," she whispered as Edward pulled her onto his lap so he could hug her to him.

"Oh, Bella, you make me so happy," he gushed before his mind began to go over an infinite number of things. "Wait, but you said you wanted to go to help Jasper look at houses? I know you want to help, Darling, but I think it best if Alice and Jasper do that on their own now. With your history-"

"Edward, stop," Bella said, ceasing his upcoming monologue. "We don't know for sure that I had been pregnant. It may have just been an irregular cycle. And the doctor said I am in excellent health. I will stay away from the practice if it will make you feel better with the possibility of germs causing a problem for the baby and I, but if you think the next seven and a half months will be spent in bed, then you will have another thought coming. I am a nurse and a woman and I know what my limits are."

"But how will you cook if you have to reach above your head to reach the cabinets, and all the walking around various houses to find something that Alice might like…no, Bella, it's too risky."

"So you'd rather see me drugged, lying in bed with no ambition as I wait out the better part of a year?" Bella countered, seeing that he was losing his resolve. "Women have been having babies since the beginning of time, most without doctors poking their noses into things. My mother continued on her normal routine when she was having me, taking breaks when necessary, and there wasn't a single complication. Edward, how often do we tell patients that a small bit of non-strenuous exercise is the best thing for them? Just let me try this my way until a time comes when I might begin to feel poorly."

"I will defer to you for the time, Isabella," Edward conceded, "but if you begin to feel poorly, you must tell me. I won't risk either one of you."

"That's fair, Edward, now sit down and I will bring dinner out," Bella told him, fixing him to his chair.

Their conversation that night focused solely on their unborn child and the preparations that would be needed. Edward kept telling Bella to slow down her plans, but she knew all too well that once the quintessential baby bump appeared, it would be a constant reminder of her condition, and with it, a reminder that she shouldn't be doing much of anything.

Bella and Edward returned to bed that night, his hand protectively resting on her stomach as they drifted into a peaceful slumber.

The following morning, Edward went to take care of his morning patients before having to hang out in the office for the afternoon that he left open for walk-in patients. Jasper arrived shortly after breakfast, his list of houses organized as Bella had asked.

"I have the listings you asked for, but is there a particular reason why we aren't visiting them in person?" Jasper asked.

"I promised Edward that we would weed them out a bit before we went out to visit them," Bella explained as Jasper cocked his head at her.

"Does he need your help with the practice this afternoon?"

"No, it's just that he's feeling a little protective of me since my return," Bella hedged, but Jasper knew something was up.

"You're expecting, aren't you?" he asked excitedly after a minute or two of mulling it over.

"No hiding it from a doctor, I guess," Bella said with a laugh. "But understand, Jasper, I don't want to be treated like a piece of crystal."

Laughing heartily, Jasper reassured his friend. "Bella, I'm from Texas. Women down there are doing chores until the weeks leading up to their delivery. I'll see if I can ease Edward's rigidity a bit on the matter. Now, let's get back to these listings."

Bella helped Jasper narrow down his search, knowing what Alice would reject based on their conversations when Edward was sending information on his work on their own home. With the list a little more manageable, Jasper and Bella climbed into his car to take a drive out to visit a few of them.

Driving to the furthest of the ones they'd chosen for that trip, so they could work their way back home, Bella told Jasper to keep driving before he'd even stepped out onto the curb at the first two places, knowing that Alice would never consider the houses that had bolstered themselves up in their advertisements to a point where they were unrecognizable once you arrived there.

A few of the houses had a potential of being the one, while others were either too small for a couple that wanted to start a family, or too big for a family starting out. Of the seven they had actually stepped foot inside, four of them were good enough to show to Alice.

As Jasper and Bella returned in the early evening, they found Edward waiting for them, a fire burning beneath the surface. "Isabella, can I speak with you in the den?"

"What's wrong, Edward?" she asked, confused by his anger.

"It is nearly three-thirty and you're only just now returning from your morning out. I believe we had discussed the changes that needed to occur, but it seems that I need to remind you."

"Edward, seeing as Jasper is aware of my condition because I had to explain to him the change in how we would have to go house hunting, I will speak frankly in front of him. I am not even two months pregnant yet, and I spent most of the day driving around, only walking for a few minutes in between trips. So your outrage is unwarranted. Not to mention that Jasper believes that a healthy amount of exercise is good for someone in my condition. Women in Texas work on the farm until shortly before they are ready to deliver."

"Well then, it's a good thing that we aren't in Texas," Edward growled.

"I think I'm going to let you two finish this discussion in private, Bella, I will talk to you in a few days," Jasper said as he headed to the door.

"Jasper, Alice can help you find a place from here, I'd prefer my wife to stay close to home." Edward glared at his best friend, who seemed to just take it all in stride.

"I'm going upstairs to shower, we'll talk about this when I'm back," Edward told her, but she wasn't in the mood to wait. As he went to clean up, Bella took a piece of paper and scribbled a note.

_Edward,_

_I'm going to spend the night with the girls. I need a little space to calm down and I believe you do as well. I will see you tomorrow._

_Love,_

_Bella_

Not even bothering to pack a bag, Bella climbed into her car to drive across town to her old apartment. She needed to cool down so she wouldn't say anything that would upset Edward more, but his tyrannical behavior was not something she could live with. He spent a great deal of time telling her that they were a team, but when he acted like that, it felt anything but.

The Black girls didn't pry when she arrived, allowing her to spend the evening in her old room while she tried to sort things out.

Meanwhile, Edward came downstairs to find the missive from his wife and the wind was knocked out of him. He hadn't meant to be so curt, but when she had needed him the most, he'd been half a world away and he felt the need to protect her from any possible harm. Edward knew that going to see her would only end in an argument right after she walked out, so he resolved to give her the space she asked for…today.

Bella and Edward ate their dinners separately and went to bed early, miserable about being alone. While Bella's day of fresh air had tired her out, Edward tossed and turned for a portion of the night, and when he did drift off to sleep it wasn't long.

Around two in the morning, Edward gave up trying to fight a losing battle and got in his car, driving to where his wife was and knocking gently on the door when he got to the apartment.

"Edward?" Rachel asked as she opened the door.

"I'm sorry for coming over here at such a late hour, but I have to see her, I have to make things right with my angel," he pleaded, breathing in a sigh of relief when she stepped aside so he could enter.

Edward walked down the hall to the room he knew had been hers at one time and opened the door to see her curled up in the small bed. He slipped in behind her and pulled her against him, memorizing the feel of her against him.

"Edward." Bella's sleep-laden voice got his attention and he looked into her weary eyes.

"My sweet angel, I'm so sorry," Edward told her. "I didn't mean to be so short with you, but I'm afraid of something happening to you, and that would kill me."

Sitting up to face him, Bella rubbed at her eyes as she began to speak. "I can understand the concern, but you disregard my feelings and beliefs. Women believe that a lot of these new ideas are for the birds, especially nurses who are mothers. We know our bodies and we know medicine, and this is one of those instances where it's a pound of medicine for an ounce of cure.

"I'm surrounded by medical professionals, Edward, if something were to happen, I would be in the best care imaginable. I'm not asking to run marathons; I just want to live my life. If something happens to change my condition then I will scale back, but there has to be a middle ground."

"I can live with that, but can you not do all day excursions without me?" Edward requested. "And I respect Jasper, but when you throw his difference in opinion in my face, it makes me think that you're diminishing what I feel."

"It wasn't my intention; I just wanted you to hear from someone you did respect that a little activity can be good for a pregnant woman." Bella moved over in the bed to give him more room. "Why didn't you wait until tomorrow morning to come get me?"

"I needed you," he whispered. "Being apart from you was killing me…I couldn't sleep, and my chest was tight with dread. Please don't walk away like that again."

"I won't. I was just afraid of saying something that would hurt you more. I was so upset; I knew I could just say something in the heat of the moment that could hurt you worse than anything else I did. But the anger could never erase the love, and I will never leave again. It hurt me just as much to be back in this room and remember my life before you. I don't want to go back there."

"You never will, Bella. Now, let's go to sleep so we can go home tomorrow and talk more about this," Edward said as he pulled her to his chest so they could fall asleep for the next couple of hours.

After that first confrontation, the couple found a happy middle ground for Bella during her pregnancy. Renee took Bella to shop for the baby on many occasions, starting with the search for appropriate furniture for the nursery.

While making her way through the department store, Bella purchased things like the bathinette, a changing table on wheels that lifted up to reveal a basin to bathe the baby in, and a wooden crib. She also purchased a dresser for the baby, a rocking chair, a carriage, a Hawkeye Baskenette, and a car-bed.

On another trip, she started shopping for things like cloth diapers and other daily items, knowing that the time would come quickly when it would be too late to stock up. Esme's package came in handy to start Bella off with baby clothes and books, but it seemed that everyone was helping to supplement it.

Alice had been enthusiastic to help out once she arrived, quickly finding a place that both she and Jasper liked out of those he'd visited with Bella. She also offered Edward a bit of salvation by taking Bella's place, at least temporarily, at the practice and handling the office so that he could focus on his patients and Bella.

Edward had begun a habit of purchasing little things, like books or teddy bears, a wooden horse on wheels, and leaving them in the nursery to add to the growing pile of baby items.

Thanksgiving that year was far more festive, with Bella and Edward making the trip to the Reservation with Alice and Jasper in tow, adding to the group that spent the holiday with the Black and Clearwater families.

As the year came to a close, Edward and Bella celebrated their first holiday in peace time, and the love between them grew with each day.

Bella was busy in the New Year, knitting items for the baby and making her own maternity clothing. As she gave herself more jobs to do, staying home became easier and it assuaged Edward's worries about her doing too much.

On one evening in early February, Edward and Bella sat cuddled on the couch, her belly now fully showing signs of the life growing within, as they watched _I Love Lucy_.

"Are you knitting another blanket? Bella, there will be more afghans than space to put them if you keep it up at the pace you make them," Edward teased, but she just nudged him.

"The last two I made were for Alice and Jasper's house, but Alice made a good point. Having a few downstairs on the couch and recliner means that we have blankets to cuddle under during the colder weather," she told him. "Just think about you and I swaddled in a throw blanket, your hands free to roam without anyone noticing the movements."

"There's no one to notice them now," Edward whispered as his fingers moved to her stomach ghosting over the surface just in time to feel a brush against his palm. "What was that?"

"What was what?" Bella asked confused.

"That tiny nudge I felt," he said, turning to face her.

"That was our baby saying hello; he's very active at night. I think he's on Korean time," she joked but Edward just stared at her.

"You called the baby 'him'," Edward said.

"It's how I picture him, I have no idea for sure," Bella explained, but Edward had to rile her a little.

"I don't know, a little girl with your hair and eyes would be pretty amazing. And we wouldn't have to worry about a daughter getting drafted."

Bella sighed, knowing that was a worry of his, especially with the hostilities in Vietnam growing by the week and the French beginning to look for a way out. "I don't think that will be something we will have to worry about for a while, Edward. The draft may be over by the time any son of ours comes of age."

"Let's not talk about that right now, I just felt our baby move, and that is something worth celebrating," Edward told her.

"What did you have in mind?"

"How about we leave your knitting for tomorrow and go upstairs to work on our cuddling, because if we're going to be hiding under blankets, we'll need to be very sure of our movements," Edward teased as he reached over to sit her needles into her sewing bag beside the couch.

"Always thinking ahead, my husband," Bella crooned as she let him lead her upstairs.

The amorous nature of Bella's personality was only bolstered by her pregnancy hormones, leaving Edward with no idea how to handle her at moments, but when he was prepared for it, it was a beautiful thing.

Time continued to pass for them and as Bella and Edward went to another appointment with her doctor, the doctor told her that she would likely deliver sometime at the end of May or beginning of June.

With that leaving them with two and a half to three months in her pregnancy, Edward started to be a little more vigilant with Bella, though he tried not to show it.

It was two weeks later, on the first day of Spring, that Bella was put onto bed rest after a fainting spell. Bella hated that she'd made it so far into her pregnancy to develop a problem in the last six weeks, but as there was a real medical concern she reluctantly took her place in bed and allowed her mother to move in a few weeks early.

That was an adjustment for both Edward and Bella, who had grown used to living with their routine and way of doing things, which was much different from how Renee operated. In a few days, Renee had reorganized the kitchen and the linen closets, but when Bella woke from a nap to see her rooting through Edward's underwear things, she had gone too far for Bella.

"Mother, what are you doing?" Bella tried to hold in her annoyance as she asked the question.

"Don't mind me, dear, I'm just organizing this better so you have enough room for everything. As it is you can barely get his clothes in these drawers."

"His dresser is fine, Mother, just leave it be."

"But I have to finish the laundry, Bella. Now that the kitchen is setup, I can work my way through the rest of the house so that everything will be in hand when you're done recuperating," Renee explained, but it only upset Bella more.

"There was nothing wrong with the way my kitchen was setup, and I would appreciate it if you simply helped out with the things we asked, and not create little projects for yourself," Bella sniped, earning a pinched look from Renee.

"Of course there was nothing wrong with it, but there are better ways to set up your cabinets and-"

"Mother," Bella yelled, "leave the clothes on the dresser and go spend the night with Dad."

"But Bella, you need me here to help out," Renee balked.

"Right now, Mom, I need you out of my sight," Bella grit out.

"Very well, I will see you again when you are in better spirits," Renee said as she made her way to Edward's office and asked Alice if she could pop back to see him.

"Sure, Mrs. Swan, you know where to find him," Alice said cheerfully as she finished up the last of the paperwork for the evening.

Renee walked back to the office and knocked, opening the door when Edward called for her to enter. "Edward, will you be able to manage tonight without me, because my daughter has had her fill of me and told me to go home."

"She what? What happened?" Edward asked, more concerned with Bella than his mother-in-law at the moment.

"I was doing my part, but she got combative over how I was doing things and I think its best not to upset her. Call me in a day or two once she's calmed down." Renee smiled at her son-in-law and left without any more conversation.

Edward was worried about his wife so after he watched Renee drive off he asked Alice to close the office and then jogged over to his house and up the stairs to find Bella hyperventilating.

"Angel, I need you to calm down," he pleaded as he sat facing her on the bed.

"She doesn't think I can take care of either of you," Bella sobbed into his shoulder as he took her into his arms.

"I don't think that was her intention, Bella, but she did seem a little more abrasive than I've ever seen her," Edward admitted.

"She forgave how you had things when you set up our home because you were a man, you couldn't be expected to understand the finer points of how to keep your pantry or cupboards. But my choices in how I set things in order weren't how she would do it and she took the opportunity to mess with everything. She even implied that she could organize our clothing better in the dressers."

"I will admit, it's a little extreme considering what we asked her to do. I wanted her here more to keep you comfortable than I wanted her to focus on the house. Perhaps we should talk to her about it," Edward offered, but Bella was against it.

"Edward, you're using Jasper to fill in at the practice during the first month after the baby is born so that you won't bring anything home, correct?" Bella asked.

"Yes, I don't want to risk you or the baby getting sick from something I pick up at work."

"Then you'll be home to help me, correct? Can't you tend what my mother might have for those first few weeks? I shouldn't be on bed rest then, only taking it easy and getting a chance to bond with the baby before the world intrudes on us. I would much rather have you taking care of us." Bella was worn out from all the energy she'd used fighting her mother, and Edward could see that she was frayed. He would do anything to ease her ordeal.

"Just the two of us, unless you want someone to help you with an area where I might be out of my depth," Edward promised. After she relaxed, he reached for a notepad he'd left on the nightstand and handed it to Bella.

"What's this for?" she asked.

"Write down how you want things to be arranged. I'll take some time to put things back the way you had them," Edward offered.

"I love you, Edward," she whispered.

"I love you too, Angel."

Edward returned to the kitchen to start dinner while Bella made lists of what she knew her mother had rearranged.

Over the next two days, Edward set the house to rights, leaving the task of the kitchen for last so that Bella could join him at the kitchen table to supervise his work. It was the first time Bella had been downstairs in a few days and she appreciated the change of scenery.

"Like this?" Edward asked as he arranged the canned goods in the last cabinet.

"Yes, and put those up top until I finish with what you have on the lower shelves," Bella told him with a smile.

"You seem to be in a much better mood," Edward said to Bella as a noise from the doorway startled them.

"Of course she is, the meddler's gone," Renee answered.

"Renee," Edward said in warning, not wanting another argument to break out.

"Don't worry, Edward, I come with a peace offering," Renee said as she put the Tupperware of cookies on the table. "You know, I forgot how much of a thorn in my side Gran Swan was when I first married your father. That woman drove me to the brink when I was setting up our house, and then when I had you…what a terror. Your father had to talk me down every night because she had me wound so tight, I never imagined that I would do it to my own daughter."

"I don't like thinking that you don't approve of how I keep house," Bella told her.

"Sweetheart, it's nothing like that, I just wanted to help you out. But how you choose to run your house is your business. And since no one called needing help these past few days, I can assume that you're handling it well on your own," Renee said.

"We are," Edward told her.

"Would you still like me to stay with you after the baby is born?" Renee asked her daughter.

"Edward has Jasper covering the practice so that he can't bring any germs home, so we should be okay, but if we need help, I know you're only a phone call away." Bella smiled at her mother, who walked over to give her a big hug.

"That sounds fair; now, your father is taking me out for our anniversary, so I better get going. You take care of my girl, Edward."

"I will, Ma'am," Edward told her as he walked her out.

For the next few weeks, Bella and Edward hunkered down and awaited the arrival of their child. June began and as moving became more difficult for Bella, Edward could tell it was only a matter of time. Edward went to work in the morning, sending Alice to check on Bella periodically throughout the day, but on the evening of June fifth Alice came running back with the word he'd been waiting for.

"Bella's water just broke," Alice called into the temporarily empty office.

"How long has she been in labor without you telling me?" Edward asked as he washed up and grabbed his keys.

"Since mid-morning, but she didn't want to worry you. Go on, I'll call Jasper and then wait to let your last patient know that you're out of the office for a family emergency," Alice assured him as he went inside to find Bella sitting at the top of the stairs.

"Come on, angel, let's go meet our baby."

After getting Bella in the car, he ran back to get her bag and then drove as quickly as he could to the hospital. Once they arrived, Edward was forced to stay behind as they brought Bella up to the room that had been prepared for her after they received the call from her doctor informing the hospital of her impending arrival.

It annoyed him that as a doctor, he couldn't find a way back there, but they insisted that it would be better for him to wait downstairs until a nurse came to give him an update. The hours seemed to drag along for Edward as he paced and cursed the rules that kept him from being at Bella's side, but by ten forty-five, a nurse arrived to tell Edward that Bella was being moved to the delivery room.

It was another hour and a half of hair-pulling for Dr. Masen before a different nurse came to inform him that his wife had delivered a healthy baby girl just after midnight. Another nurse would escort him to her room once she was settled in, but then he was expected to go home until visiting hours the next morning.

When he was given the word, Edward followed a nurse up to the room and was overjoyed to see Bella lying peacefully in the bed when he walked in to sit at her bedside.

"Have you seen her?" Bella asked.

"No, I only get a few minutes with you tonight, so I decided to detour to the nursery on my way home," Edward explained.

"She's beautiful, Edward."

"Just like her mother," Edward whispered as he leaned in to kiss her. "How did everything go?"

"It was fine, Edward, a textbook delivery."

"I'm sorry, Dr. Masen, but we really need to get Mrs. Masen to bed," the nurse said from the doorway.

"I understand, goodnight, Bella." Edward kissed her again before he walked out, taking a moment to visit the nursery and get his first look at his daughter.

Upon seeing her in the nursery, he smiled at the pink cheeked little angel in the bassinette marked Susan Masen. "Now I have two angels."


	18. Epilogue: An Honor Due

**I have no idea how the specific events of the day were handled, but this is my imagining of the day from what I've been able to find out. Thank you all for sticking with me, and as I'm not sure that my chapter of 'The Family You Make' will post this month (I'm 1/3 of the way thru it, but it between finishing it and getting it beta'd I may be close) this is my last chance to remind you that 'Loose Screws' is up for one of the fave completed stories of the month. Link is on my profile. Thank you to everyone who votes for it.**

**We say a fond farewell to MASHward and his angel, and I'm very sad to see them go. This started in the Age of Edward contest in 2010, but after a long hiatus and a period of long pauses between posts, we finally got them their HEA. No plans to write their peacetime life, mainly because this was the story of love surviving war. Thank you all for your support and I hope you check out what is coming next. Put me on alert to see what I'm finishing up and what is new from Camp AGW. As always, thank you to mizzdee, who would rush to work on this fic out of a love for our good doctor.**

**To the veterans of every war, thank you for your bravery and sacrifice. And to their loved ones, thank you for being strong enough to stand behind them as they gave of themselves. **

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Epilogue – An Honor Due

**July 1995**

After a tiring flight across the country, Edward and Bella made their way to baggage claim so that they might have a chance to see their grandkids before they were tucked in for the night. A lot had changed in the last forty-one years, and air travel was certainly one of those things.

Washington D.C. was a zoo this particular week and it was the reason why the entire Masen family had flown in from all over the country to meet up. It had been years since they had seen some of the men and women they would be reconnecting with over the next few days, and for once, they would share it with their children.

The war wasn't something that they talked about often. Stories about the people they'd served with, and the boys they'd saved, but never anything specific. While they didn't want their sacrifice to be forgotten, some things were easier left in the past.

Dr. and Mrs. Masen had watched as the fifties gave way to the sixties, bringing them three more children after Susan, and an overwhelming sense of family. Though he had never wanted his father's money, Edward inherited a majority of the vast fortune when his father died just a few years after the end of the war. His mother was left with the house and a sum that would keep her comfortable until she passed away a decade after that.

The financial freedom had allowed Edward to keep his practice and never have to worry about money. His children each had trust funds, and the eleven grandchildren he had were all going to benefit from their grandfather's shrewd financial planning when it came time to go to college.

The hippie days gave way to another war that couldn't be won against the Red Menace, leading to the American's leaving Vietnam during the fall of Saigon and a new generation of disenfranchised veterans.

Edward and Bella had differing opinions about the portrayal of their time serving their country in the media, but while they could see some similarities, they were quick to point out that the war was far crueler than any movie could show.

The core group to come out of the 8076 still kept in touch through the years, with traveling for various weddings and special occasions keeping the Cullens, Masens, McCartys, and the Whitlocks from being people they once knew.

Others were harder to keep tabs on, but occasional letters would alert one or another of the news of Peter or Garrett, some of the nurses, and of course, Eric Yorkie. Eric had been busy working with Alice and Bella to organize a reunion luncheon for the day following the official dedication of the Korean War Memorial on the 27th, the 42nd anniversary of the armistice that brought an end to the war.

Edward was brought out of his thoughts by his youngest child, Denise, who was calling to him and Bella from the far end of the baggage area.

"Mom, Dad, how was your flight?" Denise asked as she ran over, hugging her parents and then walking them over to the carousel that was currently offloading their bags.

"Long, Sweetheart, now where are my grandbabies?" Bella asked as they started towards the car.

"Back home with Chris, Ellen, and their kids. It is going to be a very loud couple of days, but I love having the family close by," Denise explained.

"You could always move back west," Edward offered, but Denise shook her head.

"This is the only home they've known. We may move at some point, but it's too soon after losing Brian to think about uprooting them now," Denise told her parents, earning her another hug. "We have to get you to your hotel so that you're able to get some rest for tomorrow. From what the news says, it's going to be a beautiful day."

"Sounds good, Sweetheart," Bella said as they began to exit the airport.

Denise drove to her house and invited her parents in for a few minutes before letting them borrow her second car to drive back to the hotel. They'd agreed that it would be best to meet on Independence Avenue and then walk as a group to the site of the memorial.

Susan and Pamela were staying at a hotel a little further from the site with their families, so they would have a little traveling to do, but the twenty members of the Masen family were in attendance for the week.

After checking into the opulent and classy Willard Continental Washington, Dr. and Mrs. Masen went up to their room to unpack and relax.

"I can't believe we're really here," Bella said as she began to lay out her outfit for the following day.

"I know, I wasn't sure we'd live to see a memorial for what we lived through. And the chance to see everyone again…"

"I wish Carlisle could be here to see it," Bella whispered sadly.

Colonel Cullen would be the most sorely missed member of the company at their luncheon, but his health made it hard for him to travel, so Esme and he weren't able to fly for the event.

It didn't take long for Edward and Bella to get their belongings squared away and settled into bed, the late hour and the travel making it easy for them to fall asleep quickly.

The morning of the twenty-seventh dawned brightly, Bella waking before her husband so that she could call in a room service order. Taking the opportunity to begin getting ready without the intrusion of her husband and his deliciously dirty mind, Bella went into the shower so that she'd be out before the food arrived.

With a robe wrapped around her, Bella emerged just a few moments before the knock signaled the arrival of breakfast. Tipping the server, she pushed the cart to the far side of the bed as Edward began to stir.

"You ordered food?"

"The surest way to get you out of bed in the morning is with a strong cup of coffee," Bella joked as Edward's eyes got dark.

"The surest way to get me out of bed would have been to invite me into your shower," Edward teased back as he took the offered cup of coffee and reached for his fork to try his pancakes.

The couple ate at their leisure, with it only being ten in the morning and the event not starting until two, with the main speeches starting at three. Once breakfast was done the cart was moved outside and Edward took the time to shower while Bella worked on drying her hair.

Once that task was done, she weaved the silver locks into a twist that would keep it off her neck on what was sure to be a warm day, and then moved to start doing her makeup. Edward admired his bride from the bathroom doorway as she worked to get ready, still as lovely as the day they'd met. Though their hair had turned gray and their once tight skin gave away the evidence of a well-lived life, there was still plenty of vitality to Dr. and Mrs. Masen as was evidenced by the love they so freely shared even after forty-three years of marriage.

Mrs. Masen noticed her husband's attention as she stood to get dressed and threw her towel at him and told him to get a move on or they'd be late to meet the kids at twelve.

A little while later, Bella and Edward walked the few blocks from the hotel to Independence Avenue SW where they were supposed to meet their family. Edward was surprised to only see Christopher and his wife, Ellen, with their two kids waiting for them, but after a quick hello, they found out the reason for that.

"One of the military guys who's here on some official capacity for the ceremony served with Brian, so he started talking to Denise and the kids and then got them onto the site without any trouble. It seems they're trying to make sure that all the veterans get priority, but he used his pull to get them in and he let the cops know that we're waiting for you, so that we can all get in without a problem. Otherwise they wouldn't have let us in until one pm."

"I'm glad she ran into someone who could help," Bella commented. Even with Brian gone, several of his old buddies checked in on Denise and the kids when they could, and moments like this were made easier because of their help.

"Well, we better get in there before it gets too crowded and we can't find them," Edward said, and the six of them began to walk towards the road that would lead them around to the entrance for the memorial.

As they walked across the pathways, they came to the section of grass that came alongside the memorial, which was cordoned off with barricades and filled with seats towards the front. Many men and women were coming out of the Tent City with their nametags and taking their seats, or being organized by their branch of military for the part of the ceremony that would continue later and end in Arlington at a later point in the week. For now it was just those who had been granted clearance into the ceremony finding a comfortable place to congregate. It didn't take them long to spot their crew, and Bella was shocked by the familiar face they saw standing next to Denise.

"Carlisle?" Bella exclaimed as she moved through the chairs to the young man who she regarded as family from the moment he was born.

"Hi, Aunt Bella, I'm glad I ran into you before the ceremony starts. Grandpa gave me strict instructions for this week and so far I'm not failing him." He smiled in a way that made him look so much like his namesake.

"You're going to sit with us during the ceremony, right, Son?" Edward asked and he nodded.

"Yes, I was just explaining that the stage is parallel with the trees at the point of the memorial, so they're keeping family to the edges so the veterans get the best view, but being tucked in this corner is probably for the best because you're close to the memorial itself so once the speeches are done you'll be able to enter it pretty quickly and then can walk around it and exit to the street," Carlisle explained.

"Then why don't we claim our seats and catch up some?" Bella suggested and their large group took their seats and passed the time.

It didn't go unnoticed how Carlisle and Denise seemed drawn to each other, but they'd been close since they were kids with how close they were in age. Bella remembered how their timing had never seemed to be right, but now, things might just lay the foundation for something to come.

The time moved as the seats and standing area on the grass filled, the military personnel taking their positions and finally those there to dedicate the memorial filing in, including the President of the United States and President Kim of South Korea. From the information that Eric had given them when he got the passes for their family, it would be close to 150,000 there between representatives of the UN Forces, US military, families, Korean troops, and dignitaries.

Eric's work with preserving his own unit's information had given him access to the memorial as someone aiding them, and had helped to make sure that anyone who was connected to the 8076 was able to get inside the ceremony today, something the Masens took advantage of.

Just before two o'clock the ceremony began with the ceremonial music and a blessing from a former Army Chaplin who had served in Korea. From there, a member of the memorials committee began to describe the design.

"The most prominent aspect of the memorial is the unit of nineteen soldiers you see here before you. Larger than life in their stature, they are an accurate representation of the forces in Korea, both in regards to the branches of the military and the ethnicities of those who served. They march in formation, emerging from the trees and through the juniper bushes, which are meant to mimic the wild and rugged landscape of Korea. At the point of the formation is an inscription to the bravery of those who served in Korea just before the flag. At the tip of the monument is the Pool of Remembrance and the field of service, as the main area is called, is flanked on the left by the United Nations Curb, listing the twenty-two nations who fought and the losses they suffered so that they could not be forgotten, and on the right is the Mural Wall.

"The Mural Wall is 41 panels of etched stone, which from afar appear to resemble the mountains of Korea, but when you get close you see the faces of real veterans. These are the support staff, the engineers, the Navy vessels, the doctors, nurses, and supply convoys that allowed the soldiers to do their jobs, illustrating the jobs that go unnoticed when one thinks of war. This monument remembers all, and honors them for their courage and sacrifice."

The man stepped down and then it was time for the President of South Korea to begin speaking. He spoke briefly, as did General Davis, who introduced President Clinton. As Bella and Edward listened to his words honoring their time in Korea, their minds drifted to the things they saw there and the people they'd known. Bella's tears began to fall as he spoke eloquently about the groundwork the Korean War had laid for the later portions of the Cold War and the prospering of South Korea after they'd won their battle against Communism.

With the final words of the President, the ceremony ended and the memorial was opened to the people who were lined up closest to it. The Masen family entered the walkway to the left of the statues and walked slowly with the pace of the other veterans, pointing things out to their kids and grandkids as they went.

The numbers of killed and missing for each nation was still as sad to think about now as it was when they heard the numbers during the announcement of the armistice. The images etched into the granite were beautiful from a distance, but they could tell that once they reached the other side it would truly be a sight.

As they reached the point of the triangle, Bella read the words they'd heard echoed throughout the afternoon, "Our Nation honors her sons and daughters who answered the call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met."

Coming around the pool and to the far side with the Mural Wall, Susan had Edward and Bella pose in front of the soldiers in the field before Carlisle offered to take a family shot. With the kids wrangled, they snapped a few pictures and then moved down the wall. As they reached a particular portion of the wall, Bella gasped, but not for the reason the others would have thought.

"Edward, is that you and Jasper?" Bella asked as she pointed to an etching of a surgical team around an operating table.

"And Alice," he confirmed, "that was taken when we first got to Korea. Poor Eric was doing double duty trying to chronicle the war from the beginning, but he has quite a collection of photos to show for it, and it seems that a few of his made the wall."

"Why do you say that?" Bella asked.

"Grammy, is that you?" Joseph, Pamela's nine year-old son, asked as he pointed to a spot just down the wall.

Bella followed his little finger to see the image in question. "Oh, my God. Yes, Joseph, that was your Grammy when she was young."

"I still can't believe you were there for a year after Grandpa Edward was sent home, Gram," Alicia, Susan's eldest daughter, commented.

"It wasn't the easiest year of our marriage, but it taught us a lot about patience," Edward told his granddaughter.

"And the importance of a well written letter," Bella added.

They finished their walk through the memorial, taking in the last of the images before they vanished past the trees and back towards the street.

"Okay, everyone, we've got a reservation for five at Old Ebbitt Grill, so do you want to explore the Mall a little more, and then drive the ten minutes to the restaurant?" Denise asked and everyone seemed to approve of the plan so they walked to the Lincoln Memorial and then to the Vietnam Memorial.

As more people seemed to follow their lead, and the kids grew restless, the adults corralled them and walked to where they'd parked on that side of the Mall and headed out to the restaurant.

The boisterous group of twenty was quickly seated upon their arrival at the restaurant and dinner passed as big family functions did for the Masen Family, with lots of conversation, laughter, and love.

The 8076 luncheon would take up a good portion of the day that Friday, but thankfully everyone was there through Sunday afternoon so they had a day and a half to spend together once the events were completed. The kids were mostly at an age now where some of the memorials and museums would be fun, and Edward and Bella loved the opportunity to have all the grandkids with them at a place that wasn't their home in Seattle, so the extra time in Washington was a blessing.

That night after the memorial dedication, Bella and Edward returned to their room and curled up together in bed. The day weighed heavy on them and Edward knew that the dark and his loving arms would make it easier for Bella to talk.

"I didn't expect to make it through today without the memories winning out, but I never thought it would be that visceral," Bella whispered.

"You did seem a little distant during parts of the ceremony and then again as we walked the monument," Edward said to encourage her to let it out.

"Did you notice one of the statues was Native American? It reminded me of Jacob…it's been forty-three years since he was taken from us, and I can still hear him teasing me down at First Beach when we were kids."

"Those are the important memories to think about. Remember him happy and safe, not the way he was when we had to say good-bye."

"Royce is someone else who hasn't left me alone recently. I keep remembering the day before he died…it was a normal OR session, but when we got out I noticed that he was having trouble getting his gown off, so I helped him off with it. All he said was thank you, but either because of how tired he was, or if it was a strange moment of premonition, it was the most heartfelt thing he'd ever said to me. The next day I was dragging him out of a minefield we hadn't known was buried in that hillside, and trying without much hope to save his life."

"You'll never know what he was thinking, Bella, but I don't think Royce was a jerk because he hated us, one and all, I think he was trying to protect himself from us. Making friends in a warzone is begging for heartache, so he kept us at a distance. Right before I came home he said he both envied me the courage to open myself up to the people we served with, and pitied me the foolishness of the same action. He said he never knew which was right, but he'd rather come off as a hardass." Edward thought about those memories for a moment before he commented, "I could never regret the friendships I'd made, or the risk I took opening my heart to you. You were an angel in hell and as soon as I realized what I stood to lose if I didn't make things right with you, I promised myself to never let you go."

"And you never will, Edward," Bella whispered.

"Did you know that you were going to be on the wall?" Edward asked after a little while.

"No, Eric said that they'd asked for some photos and since he had all of his photos professionally backed up onto discs when he was in the process of making the scrapbook for the luncheon, he simply let them look through one of his sets of photos. He's had enough printed over the years so that he would always have a full set that wasn't damaged," Bella told Edward.

"Those computer discs must give him some piece of mind then, knowing that he's got two sets of the discs to preserve our portion of the war's history." Edward yawned as sleep slowly began to take him.

"Yes, and his kids are happy that he was able to archive it, it will be something for them to show their kids and grandkids when they're old enough."

"Just like you and Alice have," Edward said.

"Yes, now let's go to sleep before I wind up talking to myself again," Bella teased as they both gave in to their exhaustion.

Edward let Bella sleep in as much as possible the next morning, but with the luncheon starting at noon, they had to be there at eleven a.m. to help Eric with last minute details. Alice and Jasper would be there as well, and it would give them a chance to find out what they thought of the memorial, since they hadn't seen them there.

There was going to be about forty or so members of the company and their spouses out of the nearly one hundred and seventy-five that served in the 8076 during the war. A memory wall was made to honor those who had passed away since they'd last seen each other in the final days of the war, and some of those who hadn't been able to attend sent along messages to be displayed during the afternoon.

The trio that had worked so hard to put everything together were quite happy with this turnout, as they only had correct info for about seventy of the members of the company that were still living, many having moved during the intervening years and others had told them that their time in the war was one they would like to forget.

The alarm went off at ten, and after a shower, Bella started to get ready while Edward began his routine. They were fortunate that they'd booked one of the ballrooms in their hotel for the event, which had been a majority of their financial contribution to the event, because it meant that they only had to go downstairs to be at the venue.

As they met up with Eric just before eleven, he showed them the memory wall panels that had to be set out on easels and the video setup that he had rented to show the few home movies he'd had converted as well as some of the tapes from those who wouldn't be there in person.

"You've all outdone yourselves," Edward said to Eric as he looked at everything they had planned. "And don't think we missed your contributions to the wall yesterday."

"I was happy to offer them the pictures, and I was just as surprised as you were that they'd used the few they did."

"It was quite moving to look up and see your likeness etched into the marble," Alice said from behind them, alerting the group to the Whitlocks arrival.

"Alice, Jasper, it's good to see you again," Eric said as he hugged them both and took them around, leaving Edward and Bella to get to work.

It wasn't long before the ballroom was set and the guests started to arrive. As Bella and Edward greeted their old unit members, Bella noticed a familiar looking young couple. Walking away from one of the nurses who had been with the unit during Bella's time as the Head Nurse, she approached Carlisle to find her daughter there with him.

"Denise?"

"Hi, Mom," Denise said, blushing.

"Hi, Bella," Carlisle said with a smile, hoping to dispel some of the awkwardness.

"Carlisle, it's good to see you again," Bella said as she motioned for Denise to take a walk with her. "I didn't know you two were together."

"We aren't together, Mom, or at least, not yet," Denise groaned at her mother's assumption. "Carlisle and I have always been good friends, and over the last ten months since he came to Brian's funeral we've reconnected, but we don't know what it is and we're not in a rush."

"That's good, you still have time if you two wanted to have more kids, after all you're only thirty-three-"

"Mother," Denise let out an exasperated cry and Edward and Carlisle came to her rescue.

"Bella, love, stop torturing the girl. It's good to see you, Sweetheart. Who did you get for babysitting duty?" Edward asked to take the focus off the budding couple.

"Susan and Pam's daughters jumped at the chance to play with them, it was so sweet," Denise gushed as the hotel staff started to open the buffet line.

Taking the opportunity to end the inquiry, Denise led the way to the buffet and the guests filled their plates and sat at the tables set out for them. Peter and his wife Charlotte, along with Garrett and his Kate sat at Bella and Edward's table, as did their daughter and the Colonel's grandson and Angela Cheney and her husband. Having friends so close after all the time that had passed warmed Bella's heart, as they caught up on the decades that had passed and swapped photos of their families during the meal.

The food was good and many joked about how they wouldn't have minded if the Mess had served food like this.

Once the meal had been cleared away, Eric put on the various tapes sent in from their friends. Rosalie and Emmett, who had arrived a little late, pulled their chairs out from the table behind Bella's so they could chat quietly as they watched the messages.

When it came time for Carlisle's video, the room grew silent as they listened to the words of their commanding officer. Having between ten and twenty years on most of his troops, Carlisle's age showed in his posture and his respiratory problems, but in his eyes and his gentle words they saw the man that had kept them safe for three years.

The room saluted their commander when his speech was done, bringing tears to young Carlisle and Denise's eyes as they saw the love these people still had for each other.

With the last tribute video finished, the veterans began to mingle again, catching up with old friends and taking photos with most of the people in the room. Many made a trip to the memory wall to see the faces of the people who weren't in the room and remember those they lost both at war and in the time that followed.

The time seemed to slip away from them as it was almost time for them to clear out, but Eric had another surprise for them before they left. "If everyone could give me one moment, on your way out, we have a little surprise for you. While going through photos to have them preserved and giving some photos to the committee when they were first designing the wall, I made quite a scrapbook of our time together. I found a photographer who was able to make a photo book out of my pictures and there's one for each member of the unit. So, just swing by on your way out and we'll give you a copy of the book. We have another twenty minutes before our time today is up, so on behalf of Mrs. Masen and Mrs. Whitlock, I'd like to say thank you for making this day possible. We've carried the memory of each other with us every day for the last forty-two years, it was good to see the men and women we remember so fondly again."

With another round of applause, the group joked and spoke a little longer before Carlisle got everyone together for a group photo that he promised to mail out to everyone using Eric's mailing list. After the final shutter flash, the good-byes began, leaving the doctors and their wives along with their first head nurse and head of their motor pool, their company clerk, and their commander's grandson behind. Denise watched her parents interact with those they hadn't seen in a long time, the last goodbyes being said before they took their things with them so that the hotel staff could begin to prepare for that evening's event.

"That was a really beautiful thing to see, Dad. We've all heard you talk about the war as much as you are willing to, but that was different. It was nice to see you with the people who lived through it with you. And how you still honor the ones you lost all those years ago."

"You're thinking about Brian?" Edward asked.

"I'll always love him, Dad, but Carlisle makes me feel good, and I need that after the last ten months," Denise said.

"Loving someone else doesn't negate what you felt for Brian, and you two are being smart about it. Brian would want you to be happy, Sweetheart."

"I know, thanks, Dad."

"Not a problem. We'll see you tomorrow for the tour of DC with everyone," Edward said as he gave her a hug goodbye.

Bella waved off her daughter and Carlisle before heading back upstairs to relax with her husband. "She's going to be all right."

"She will," Edward agreed. "Now, we've spent the last few days remembering the past, and I'd like to spend the rest of our trip solidly in the present with my lovely wife. How does that sound?"

"Like just what the doctor ordered," Bella said with a laugh as they stepped into the elevator to return to their room.


End file.
